l88 WILLIAM HARRIS ASHMEAD. 



the investigation of injurious insects. Through his interest in 

 this field, which became very great, he gradually built up a 

 large collection of insects ; and, experiencing great difficulty in 

 securing determinations, began the study of systematic ento- 

 mology. From the very first he was a tremendous worker and 

 produced results with astonishing rapidity. His contributions 

 to the scientific journals began in 1879, ^^^ from that date until 

 the time of his final collapse he produced a long series of 

 contributions to science, comprising more than 250 titles and 

 including many papers of great systematic value. 



In 1887 he received an appointment as Special Field Ento- 

 mologist to the Division of Entomology of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, for the investigation of certain 

 Florida problems. In 1888 he was appointed Entomologist to 

 the State Agricultural College and Experiment Station at Lake 

 City, Fla., and while holding that position, published one of 

 the very first bulletins produced by an entomologist of an agri- 

 cultural experiment station under the Hatch Act. It was en- 

 titled "Notes on Various Injurious Insects." In 1889 he was 

 made an assistant entomologist and investigator of the Division 

 of Entomology of the United States Department of Agriculture. 

 During the winter of 1889-90, on leave of absence, he went 

 abroad and studied for several months in Berlin. On his re- 

 turn he continued his work under the Division of Entomology, 

 and in 1895 was appointed Assistant Curator of the Division of 

 Insects, United States National Museum, which position he held 

 until a few months before his death. He donated his large 

 private collection to the Museum about 1898. 



As a worker Doctor Ashmead was possessed of an enthusiasm 

 and of an industry that has rarely been equaled. For many 

 years he allowed himself but five hours, or a little more, sleep, 

 devoting the remainder of his time, with the exception of that 

 needed for eating, to an incessant study of the forms in which 

 he was for the time interested. The amount of work thus 

 accomplished was enormous. Either of his two main works, 

 namely, his Monograph of the North American Proctotrypid^e, 

 published as Bulletin 45 of the United States National Museum, 

 a work covering some 500 pages, or his Classification of the 



