18 History of Entomology in the United States. 
may well be a ground of exultation that our naturalists have done 
so much to illustrate the Fauna of our country. The works of 
some of them exceed in magnificence and pictorial execution 
those of any other country, and the literary portions will com- 
pare with the most finished scientific compositions of the world. 
Our mammals have in part been described and figured by Gop- 
maN, Haruan, Bacuman, Dexay, Say, and Orp, and another 
splendid work on this order is in preparation by Aupuson and 
Bacuman. Our birds have been represented almost to the life by 
Witson, Bonaparte, Aupuson, Orv, Nurratt, Bacuman, Town- 
SEND, and the two Barrps. Our reptiles have been described and 
figured by Green, Leconte, Say, Haruan, Lesveur, and Hot- 
BROOK; our fishes by Mircuitt, Lesveur, Srorer, Dexay, 
Sir, Rarinesque, Kirrianp, Ayres, and Haupeman; our shells 
by Say, Rarivesque, Conran, Lea, Goutp, Binney, Hitpreta, 
Barnes, Hatpeman, Apams, and Miguuzs; our crustacea by Say, 
Govutp, and Haupeman, (the fresh-water microscopian species, 
especially by the latter.) All these orders have been industriously 
studied, and he who desires to pursue them still further, has been 
furnished with books by these accomplished naturalists that will 
be indispensable. 
Entomology has had the fewest cultivators, but still, as was 
before observed, much has been done. It is my design to give a 
brief history of the science in the United States, as far as the facts 
could be ascertained. 
The father of American entomology is the Rev. F, V. Mets- 
HEIMER, a Lutheran clergyman who resided in Hanover, York 
Co., Pa. He was a German by birth, and came to this country 
in 1777 as chaplain to the Brunswick troops. He was taken pris- 
oner by the Americans at the defeat of Burgoyne, and like many 
of his countrymen in that expedition, he preferred remaining in 
the land of his captors to returning to Europe. After perform- 
ing ministerial functions in several towns of Pennsylvania, he 
removed to Hanover, where he commenced his entomological 
pursuits, more than fifty years ago. Some of his first collections 
are still in the possession of his son. He soon after began an 
entomological correspondence and exchange with his country- 
man, Prof. Kyocu of Brunswick, which continued without in- 
-terruption to within a year of his death in 1810. He published 
no entomological work except his celebrated catalogue of the 
