tm CANADIAN -ENTOMOLOGIST. 193 



could not claim to equal the stars among the entomologists in Europe, he 

 filled very well the place of a first rate entomologist in America. The 

 next day was spent with the collection, which contained chiefly Coleoptera 

 and Lepidoptera, and only little of the other orders, apparently on account 

 of the want of books about them. The collection was kept in good 

 order, and all labels in his father's handwriting were on the pin of the 

 same specimen to which they were originally attached. 



" Melsheimer," says Zimmermann, " lives with his family on a very 

 plain but good fare, as is generally the case in America. Many little and 

 cheap comforts were wanting, but their absence was not felt. Indeed 

 there was no drinking glass in the house ; cans or dippers served for the 

 purpose. The cordial hospitality made one forget the lack of comfort." 



Twice more, July 12, 1839, Zimmermann visited Melsheimer in com- 

 pany with Pastor D. Ziegler, and August 20, 1839, ^^^'^h Rev. Morris, of 

 Baltimore. 



Already in 1832, Dr. Melsheimer had the plan, as Zimmermann states 

 in 1834, to publish, with Th. Say, a new catalogue of the Coleoptera of 

 N. America, which was prevented by Th. Say's premature death in 1835. 

 Dr. LeConte says in the obituary that his father (the name E. F. Mel- 

 sheimer is an error for F. V. Melsheimer) has been an active collaborator 

 with Th. Say. This could not have been, as the father died 18 14, and 

 Th. Say began to work in 181 7. This active collaborator was the eldest 

 son, J. F. Melsheimer, quoted often by Th. Say, and later the second son, 

 Dr. Melsheimer. The work advanced slowly. In a letter to Th. W. 

 Harris, Nov. 24, 1842, Dr. Melsheimer states that " a few literary gentle- 

 men in Pennsylvania and Maryland have entered into an association for 

 the advancement of entomology in our country (the Entomologi,cal 

 Society of Pennsylvania). Their first object in view is the publication of 

 a catalogue of the known Coleoptera of the U. S. The members of the 

 Club have prevailed on me to compile the work and have it ready for the 

 press against the ensuing spring ! I " Dr. Melsheimer was elected Presi- 

 dent of this Club, of which, as far as I know, Rev. John G. Morris, of 

 Baltimore, is now the only survivor. Dr. Melsheimer complains to Th. 

 W. Harris that the work, though only a compilation, is very difiicult, and 

 advances slowly. It was published only ten years later, as it had been 

 determined that the unknown species should be described. In the mean- 

 time Rev. David Ziegler, in York, Pa., seems to have been a very active 

 collaborator. He has published m Proc. Ac. N. Sc. Phil., 1844, v. ii., p. 



