o«SG Osten Sacken: two crilical reniarks etc. 



and which neverthelcss, was almost forgottcn: „Reclierclios sur Tor- 

 ganisation vertobralc des Crustaces, des Araclinides et des Insectos", 

 Paris 1S2.S, dedicated to Raspail. It contains, aniong other obser- 

 vations, a paragraph on tlie halteres of the Diptera, in which Robincan 

 comes very near dcfining their principal function. Two important 

 works on the Organization of Diptera had appeared shortly before 

 1.S78, that of Mr. Künckel d'Herculais on tlie Yolucellac, and 

 that of Mr. Jousset de Beiles mc on the halteres. Both authors 

 liave given the literature concerning the halteres „bat both liave takcn 

 „great care not to quote Robineau. What is the reason, asks Prof, 

 „Giard, of sucii an important bibliographical Omission, espccially 

 „when we take into consideration that the objcct of this omniission, 

 „is a scientific pnblication issued in french fifty years ago? — The 

 „reason is that an academic prize was in question." 



Robinean niakes on mc the Impression of having been one of 

 those men whose remarkable talcnts are interfercd with by a defect 

 in the character, by the want of that self-control which is indispen- 

 sable in the production of nseful and endnring work. Still, it wonld 

 be worth whilc, for some competent dipterologist, to undcrtakc a 

 critical review of the whole work of Robineau on the Myodaires. 

 Gifted as he was, a sincere lover and diligent observer of naturc, he 

 must have left some grains of gold in Ins, apparently confused, mass 

 of publications. 



