334 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Sept. 



rare to discorer a new species ; it is something even to detect a 

 new habitat. But these lonely American entomologists seem, as 

 one reads their correspondence, like so many scientific Robinson 

 Crusoes, each with the insect-wealth of a new island at bis 

 disposal, they are monarchs of all they survey. With what 

 affluence they exhibit their dozen undescribed species ; with what 

 autocratic power they divide and re-combine genera ! How 

 ardently writes Hentz to Harris, 'Oh! why must we live at 

 such a distance from each other? What pleasures we might 

 enjoy together ; or, mourn no longer for the singleness or solitude 

 of your Amphicoma VuJpina ! I have found another.' Yet 

 they were richer for their loneliness, and perhaps it was better 

 that M.issachussetts and Carolina even in scientific jurisdiction 

 should remain at a reasonable distance. Had these students 

 shared one entomological region they would have had less wealth 

 of material for exchange." 



Col. Higginson concludes the memoir thus : " The steady 

 growth of Dr. Harris' reputation is not due alone to his position 

 as one of the pioneers in American Science during its barest 

 period. It has grown because he proves to have united qualities 

 that are rare at any period. He combined a fidelity that never 

 shrank from the most laborious details, with an intellectual 

 activity that always looked beyond details to principles. No 

 series of observations made by him needed revision or verification 

 by another; and yet his mind always looked instinctively towards 

 classification and generalization. He had also those scientific 

 qualities which are moral qualities as well ; he had the modesty 

 and unselfishness of science, and he had what may be called its chi- 

 valry. He would give golden days of his scanty summer vacations to 

 arrange and label the collections of younger entomologists, and it 

 roused all the wrath of which his soul was capable, when even a 

 rival was wronged, as when Dejean ignored Say's descriptions, 

 because he had not learned English enough to read them." So 

 much for the man. We shall now look for a short time at some of 

 his correspondence. The foregoing we have drawn altogether 

 from the memoir by Col. Higginson, considering it the best 

 description we could give of the man — and would earnestly 

 recommend all interested in entomology to purchase the work and 

 study it for themselves, believing that they will be fully compen- 

 sated by its perusal. 



We shall merely glance at a very few points mentioned in this 



