20 [January, 



Hitherto we have alluded only to Mr. Kirby's work as an Entomologist, but 

 ho was a man of versatile talent and wide interests, and of altogether exceptional 

 ability as a linguist. His acquirements in this respect comprised practically 

 all the modern European languages, and particularly those of the North ; and 

 in this connection his magnum opus, the translation into English of the great 

 Finnish epic, the " Kalevala," commenced in 1904, may be here referred to. 

 His intimate acquaintance with Oriental languages also enabled him to furnish 

 valuable bibliographical and other notes to Sir K. Biu'ton's famous translation 

 of the " Arabian Nights." Besides general Natural History and Botany, his 

 published writings include such subjects as Evolution, Mysticism, and Folk-lore, 

 and he was also the author of several poetical works of mvich merit, of vvhich 

 the " Hero of Esthonia," which appeared in 1895, is the best known. 



Up to 1909, when he retired from the Natural History Museum on account 

 of age, Mr. Kirby was a familiar figure in the " Insect Room," where his quiet 

 courtesy and readiness to impart information, and to take any amount of trouble 

 in clearing up difficulties, will long be remembered by all who had the privilege 

 of meeting him. One was perhaps most impressed by his extraordinary know- 

 ledge of the literatvu-e of Entomology, and in this rerpect he was certainly 

 without a rival in his lifetime. He was one of the oldest Fellows of the 

 Entomological Society of London, having been elected in 1861, and for five 

 years (1881-5) was one of its Secretaries; he joined the Linnean Society in 

 1890, and was a member of many other scientific and literary bodies, at home 

 and abroad. 



His wife, who was his faithful and valued associate in all his varied work, 

 predeceased him in 1903 ; and to his only son. Dr. W. Egmont Kirby, himself 

 the author of several well-known Entomological works, and to whom we are 

 indebted for a large part of the material of this notice, we tender oiu- sincere 

 sympathy. 



Peter Cameron —The death of this energetic Hymenopterist took place at 

 New Mills, Derbyshire, on December 1st, at the age of 65. Although chiefly 

 known as a prolific describer of new genera and species from every part of the 

 globe, he was also a keen and industrious student of the order Hymenoptera. 

 Personally known to few, if any, of the workers in his chosen field, there can be 

 no serious student of Hymenoptera now living who has not had occasion at some 

 time or other to refer to his papers. Cameron entered a firm of Turkey Eod 

 dyers in Glasgow as accountant some 10 years ago. The introduction of aniline 

 dyes seriously affected the trade, so that he migrated to Manchester, where he 

 secured employment in a firm of calico printers. Ill-health and a strike were 

 responsible for his loss of this position, and little was heard of his movements 

 for some years, until he was compelled, being in great distress, to appeal to one 

 who has been his staunch friend and supporter throughout. By this means he 

 became the recipient of a grant from the Royal Society, which enabled him to 

 lodge with a labouring man at New Mills, whither he had now removed. It can 

 thus be understood that a fight against poverty, in conjunction with ill-health, 

 Hindered the pursuit of systematic entomology doubly hard, and when criticism, 

 from which no active writer can hope to escape, is levelled at Cameron, allowance 



