144 [November, 1883. 



(Biles rubrum), I observed for the fira£ time on the gooseberry bushes (iZ. 

 grossularia). Rhizotrogus solstitialis kept its time at ihe eud of June, but only 

 in small number. A Thrips, wliich I take to be Phloeoihrips ulmi. Fab., abounded 

 as larvae, from September last all through the winter, under the bark of large bvanclies 

 of Acacia cut off four years ago ; from the 20th to 30th June most of them had 

 become perfected, some, however, then still remained larvfe. — J. W. Doitglas, 8, 

 Beaufort Gardens, Lewisham : 2)id August, 1883. 



©biiuarn. 



Professor Oswald Ueer died at Lausanne, on the 27th September, in his 

 75th year. He was born at Nieder Uzwyl, Grlarus, Switzerland, August 31st, 1809. 

 Intended by his family for the church, his predilection for natural history studies 

 induced him to abandon that idea, and, at a comparatively early age, he became 

 Professor of Botany and Natural History at the Polytechnic University of Zurich, 

 to which institution he remained attached up to his death. Heer's early reputation 

 was made as an entomologist, and from 1834 forwards, he published many works and 

 papers on entomology, chiefly on Swiss insects, and more especially on Coleoptera, 

 most of which treated exhaustively on the vertical distribution of species in the 

 Alps. Possibly he is best known (as an entomologist) in this country by his mono- 

 graphic work on the Beetles of Switzerland, which appeared in 1838 — 41. In this 

 work he did for tlie Coleoptera of that country what Frey has more recently done 

 for the Lepidoptera, but, of course, lapse of time has rendered Heer's labours out of 

 date, as compared with Frey's. This monograph appeared in two forms, but that 

 which is best known was styled, " Fauna Coleopterorum helvetica," and extended to 

 over 600 pages. 



Latterly, Heer's earlier labours, as an entomologist, have, to some extent, been 

 forgotten, eclipsed by his later devotion to palaeontology, of which the first evidence 

 appeared so long ago as 1847, when was published tlie first part of his memoir on 

 the fossil-insects of the celebrated tertiary formation at CEningen. It is not neces- 

 sary for us to detail his palreontologicdl works ; suffice it to say that he had long 

 been regarded as the first authority on fossil insects and plants of the tertiary epoch 

 in Europe. 



Sometime about 1850, Heer fell into bad health, and visited Madeira and the 

 Canaries. We believe we are correct in stating that his malady developed itself to 

 such an extent as to soon render him a confirmed invalid, incapable of self-locomo- 

 tion, but his intellect developed to such a degree tliat all his best palaeontological 

 and professional work was carried on while he laboured under the greatest physical 

 disadvantages. His labours received due acknowledgment in this country. In 1871, 

 lie was elected one of the fifty Foreign Members of tlie Liunean Society, and in 

 1877 he was awarded one of the Koyal Medals by the Royal Society. 



