OBITUARY. 45 



model of entomological description, in its minute differentia- 

 tion of the two hundred and three species found on the 

 island, with their ordinary habitats; and full additional 

 observations as to general points of location, distribution in 

 the neighbouring x\tlantic archipelagos, and all special 

 peculiarities worth noting. The preface is of great general 

 interest, pointing out the importance of the island from its 

 extreme isolation (both by distance and the depth of the 

 surrounding "deep-sea" soundings) in possibly throwing 

 light on points of geographical distribution. Following up 

 this subject in the Coleoptera under observation, he gives a 

 careful elimination from the two hundred and three species 

 known up to the 4th of September, 1875, of the fitty-seven of 

 which the majority are well nigh cosmopolitan, and then of 

 the seventeen more which ap].)ear to have been accidentally 

 brought or doubtfully found on the island ; and of the 

 one hundred and twenty-nine then remaining he shows the 

 enormous proportion of ninety-one to be Ultynchophora, the 

 whole of these being either ^^ Cossonids or Antliribids ;" the 

 latter numbering twenty-six species; the former, fifty-four. 

 Mr. Wollaston's pages on the presence of these "wood- 

 boring" and "foliage-loving" weevils, on an island now 

 almost denuded of all but the remains of its ancient luxuriant 

 vegetation, are of rare and exceptional interest, as giving a 

 reliable observation of exact conditions at a given time, and 

 in a perfectly isolated locality, by which the degree, coincident 

 disappearance of aboriginal vegetation and its phytophagous 

 tenants may be traced forwards. This, Mr. Wollastou's last 

 contribution to entomological science, is characteristic of its 

 author in the finished elegance, as well as clearness of its 

 style, and in the gentleness with which, whilst he states his 

 own views as to the doctrine "of creative arts" being not 

 necessarily " unphilosophical," he leaves the subject open to 

 others. On reaching Madeira Mr. Wollastou's lemporarv 

 residence was unfortunately placed at too high an elevation, his 

 health giving way, and this delayed his return ; but still, as ever, 

 this was referred to by himself as a secondary matter, except 

 in its interference with his work. He returned to his home, 

 at Teignmouth, in the early summer of 1877, and thence- 

 forward devoted himself to the task of arranging the valuable 

 mass of information he had acquired in his absence, and of 

 which he leaves us the record. Mr. Wollastou's name will 

 remain as a minute and accurate investigator, and clear 

 reasoner on the results in the Science he loved so well : 



