Hungerford: Nepid.k in America. 435 



ant a cote une ligne perpendiculaire- de la grandeur reerdc Tanimal. 

 Ceux (lui excedent un ponce seront figures de Icur grandeur na- 

 turelle." 



Second. The plate which bears the figure of Ranatra fusca has 

 upon it three figures natural size (one of which is Ranatra fusca)' 

 and two figures enlarged. These two have the true length indicated 

 by a line, and one of these, Naucoris jemorata, of w^iicli the writer 

 has specimens, fits the line which was drawn to indicate the true 

 length. There are on the plate three figures of Belostoma which 

 Palisot calls "Nepa," male and female, of "Nepa suhspinosa," nat- 

 ural size, which are not accompanied by a "line of true length," and 

 Neya minor, accompanied by a line. The drawing of Neya minor is 

 as large as those of Nepa subspinosa, and yet the author distinctly 

 says that Nepa minor is smaller. The line indicates its true length, 

 and the inevitable conclusion is that the figure of Ranatra fusca is 

 natural size. Indeed, a comparison of drawings with the specimens 

 throughout the book shows the author consistently followed his 

 stated policy of drawing large insects natural size and indicating 

 enlargements by lines, whenever made. 



Palisot's insects were taken between the years 1786 and 1797. 

 Those from the United States, then, were taken from somewhere in 

 the eastern United States, for the territories of the United States at 

 that time were bounded on the north by Canada, on the west by the 

 Alississippi river, and on the south by the north line of Florida. 

 Ranatra fusca, therefore was collected within these limits. 



Palisot, in his "Discours Pr^liminaire," alludes to an account of his 

 travels as being in press. I have not located this, but have secured 

 two brief biographical sketches of him; one from "La Grande Ency- 

 clopedie," vol. XXV, and the other more complete, from P. Larousse, 

 "Dictionnaire du XIX Seicle 12," page 66. Neither of these mention 

 a book of his travels. From these accounts we learn that he came to 

 Philadelphia first in 1791 to secure assistance against a Negro up- 

 rising in San Domingo, where he was taking part in govermental 

 affairs. He seems to have been in the United States for some time, 

 for upon his return to San Domingo he narrowly escaped death at 

 the hands of the blacks (17931. He escaped to Philadelphia with- 

 out funds and supported himself there by giving lessons in music 

 and language. Finally he secured help from France to make a 

 scientific voyage in North America for new collections, and returned 

 to his own country in 1798. He died in 1820. These brief facts 

 indicate that most of his days in the United States were spent about 

 Philadelphia, and it seems to me probable that many of his insects 



