PREFACE. XI 



ization made him often morbidly sensitive and suspicions, and a 

 prey to groundless fears, which not a little marred his enjoyment 

 of life. He was educated in the Roman Catholic religion, but 

 in 1835 joined the Presbyterian Church. During his whole life 

 he had a most remarkable habit of suddenly resorting to mental, 

 ejaculatory prayer. Without regard to circumstances, in any 

 place, or among any people, he would sometimes, without ap- 

 parent external reason, take off his hat, or perhaps drop on his 

 knees, press his hands to his forehead, and raising his eyes 

 heavenward, remain in more or less protracted prayer. He 

 had also several regular places for this singular custom, as before 

 his study-door, which he never entered without stopping a mo- 

 ment in silent prayer, and beneath a picture he had made of 

 the "All-seeing Eye" ; indeed, the constant pressure of his fore- 

 head against the wall in these places left an indelible mark. 



He was extremely fond of exercise, and his Saturday half- 

 holidays were invariably spent in long walks with his sons in the 

 woods, carefully collecting insects and observing their habits. 

 For amusement he delighted in fishing and gunning. 



He was a great friend of Dr. Thaddeus Win. Harris (one of 

 his sons, Dr. T. W. Hentz of Columbus, Ga., was named after 

 him), and after separated from him by his own removal to the 

 South, a constant correspondence, mostly entomological, was 

 kept up between the two friends, a portion of which, as already 

 remarked, was published in the first volume of this series. 



