I 



214 [February, 



At last the cause of Boll's detention in Switzerland was at an end, and he was 

 preparing to return to Agassiz, when a telegram announced the death of the latter, 

 and that opening of a career for Boll was unfortunately closed. 



Boll then returned to Texas and settled at Dallas, where for many years he 

 collected insects most industriously, and, as we can speak from experience, he 

 enriched the collections of Micro-Lepidopterists with long series of beautifully set 

 bred specimens of North American Micros. 



Latterly his attention had been more turned to geological and archaeological 

 researches, but we have lately heard that he had hoped to obtain the recognised 

 position of State-Entomologist of Texas. 



Early in September last, he started on an exploring expedition to the western 

 part of Texas, there he was taken ill, and far from all medical assistance he died on 

 the 29th September. 



Achille Guenee — born at Chartres, January 1st, 1809, died at Chateaudun, 

 December 30th, 1880 — was, like his colleague Dr. Boisduval (who died precisely 

 twelve months previously), one of the most distinguished Lepidopterists of France. \ 



He received his education at the " college " of Chartres, being one of the most 

 promising pupils there. In early childhood he showed a taste for Entomology, and, 

 when quite a boy, he knew no greater pleasure than the pursuit of the butterflies 

 which frequented the neighbourhood of Chartres. 



As years passed on, he soon applied himself more seriously to the study of his 

 favourite Order of insects — the Lepidoptera, incited thereto by the good advice of 

 his older friend, Mons. Francois de Yilliers ; in conjunction with whom, at a later 

 date (1835), he brought out a thin quarto volume ("Tableaux synoptiques des 

 Lepidopteres d'Europe "). 



At the close of his college career, he went to Paris to study law ; the dry at- 

 tractions of which had no effect in cooling his passion for Entomology, which 

 derived fresh fuel from the sight of the collections at Paris, and the society of the 

 numerous Entomologists who resided in the capital. 



On his marriage in 1833, he quitted Paris and settled himself at Chateaudun, 

 where he resided till 1846. He then returned to Paris to superintend the education 

 of his son. It was at this period that, being in constant intercourse with Dr. Bois- 

 duval, he began to write the first volume of his Noctuelites, which was not published 

 till 1852. It was during this interval that he received "un coup cent fois plus cruel" 

 noticed in the preface to the Noctuelites, p. xxiii — the loss of his only son, who 

 already gave great promise of future excellence. 



This led to his quitting Paris abruptly — he returned to Chartres ; there he 

 could recall and apply his own words, addressed to the Societe Entomologique de 

 France, February 14th, 1849, when speaking of the benefits to be derived from 

 Entomology — "Pensons," said he, "aux blessures de cceur qu'elle a gueries, aux 

 " illusions pretes a, s'envoler qu'elle a retenues, aux mecomptes dont elle a console, 

 " aux chagrins legitimes dont elle a adouci l'amertume, aux joies tranquilles dont 

 " elle seme la vie. Soyons fiers du bonheur qu'elle donne au pauvre comme an riche, 

 " a l'homme que le travail a fatigue, comme a celui que l'oisivete tourmentait," &c. 



Again, however, he was destined to experience the pleasures appertaining to a 

 father; two daughters were successively born, and, accompanied by his wife and 



