144 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Council. Interesting papers have been read, and exhibitions of specimens 

 made. The attendance at the meetings has been good, but additional 

 members are much wanted, in order to place the Council in a position to 

 purchase books for a library, and otherwise carry out necessary work. 

 Entomologists wishing to join are requested to communicate with the Hon. 

 Sec, McCoLBRAN J. Wainwright, Hall Road, Hands worth, near Bir- 

 mingham. 



Aberdeen Working Men's Natural History Society. — This Society 

 has been formed for the development of Natural-History study in the 

 neighbourhood of Aberdeen. Among the supporters we notice the name of 

 that well-known entomologist. Professor J. W. H. Trail. The first annual 

 Exhibition was held on four evenings in March last, when Entomology 

 was represented by half a dozen or more exhibitors. The address of the 

 Secretary is Mr. Andrew Matthew; 93, Skene Street, Wales Street, 

 Aberdeen. 



OBITUARY. 



Dr. Victor Signoret died on the 3rd April, as I am informed by a 

 letter from Mons. L. Fairmaire, who deplores the loss of a friend of forty-eight 

 years' standing. Dr. Signoret was a well-known hemipterist of repute, 

 wherever the study of Entomology was cultivated. I do not know the date 

 of his birth, or other private particulars; but the work he accomplished 

 is in our libraries, and that work is careful and thorough. The first 

 paper written by Dr. Signoret bears the date of 1847. It relates to the 

 order Rhynchota and to the suborder Homoptera. Since that time to quite 

 recently, before an insidious disease paralysed faculties that l)ad always 

 been active, a series of faunestic and descriptive papers appeared, with that 

 rhythmical sequence that always denotes the life of the persistent student 

 of our science. For entomologists, as a rule, cannot study without 

 publishing; species and genera must be distinguished; and to prove of 

 universal application must be registered in the only way that civilised man 

 attacks the problem of ultimate knowledge. Of the papers written by 

 Dr. Signoret, certainly not the least important are his ' Revue icono- 

 graphique des Tettigonides,' which was commenced in 1852; and his 

 ' Revision du Groupe des Cydnides,' began in 1881 and completed in 1884. 

 When I remember the care with which the last paper or rather series of 

 papers were elaboratud ; the material so carefully manipulated and so 

 persistently followed, wherever specimens could be borrowed or figures 

 obtained ; the continued correspondence, interrogative and suggestive ; the 

 frequent enquiries as to Walker's types, often difficult to satisfy for lack of 

 equal comprehension of an obscure group of insects ; — the thought arises 

 that this will prove to be Signoret's greatest contribution to Entomology. 

 I have been under no inconsiderable obligation to my late colleague : the 

 loan of specimens, information, advice, were always at disposal and 

 frequently solicited. His writings were never disfigured by that amateur 

 criticism which affords a retreat for mediocrity ; and if one may search in 

 vain amongst them for theories, the facts will be found on which philoso- 

 phical theories in Entomology can alone be founded. The names of Stal 

 and Signoret will ever be familiar words to the student of the Rhynchota. 

 — W. L. Distant. 



