36 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



tlie death of tlie Empress, to the famous Arme- 

 nian, Natarra, who owned the large crown-diamond 

 of Shack Nadir of Persia, which was purchased by 

 Catharine, and is still now seen in the Eremitage, 

 among the other crown-jewels. 



In view of all these facts, we cannot understand 

 how Pallas became a dupe of the Russian Govern- 

 ment, or could consider himself as exiled to the 

 Crimea, as Mr. Ditson says. It was not so, as he 

 resided there only when he preferred it ; and after 

 the death of the Empress, when he was over sixty 

 years old, he became anxious to see his fatherland 

 once more. Accordingly, he settled on his wife, 

 who preferred to remain there, a very fine estate 

 near Sympheropol, and he went to Berlin, his na- 

 tive place, where he died at the age of seventy 

 years. 



Pallas was twice married. He had by his first 

 wife only one daughter, who was married to Count 

 Wimpfeu, a General in the Russian army, who was 

 killed, in 1805, on the battle-field of Austerlitz. 

 His second wife was still alive, and resident in the 

 Crimea, in 1825, when I was there. Although over 

 sixty years of age, she was the life of society, a 

 lady of great intellectual attainment, and an accom- 

 plished scholar. She spoke fluently the Russian, 

 French. Italian, German, and Tartar languages. 



