5l6 THE INSECT WORLD. 



time an old sick bishop, whose wounds a surgeon came each morning 

 to dress. One day as the surgeon was dressing the bishop's wounds, 

 an insect came out of a crack in the boards. Latreille seized it 

 immediately, examined it, stuck it on a cork with a pin, and seemed 

 enchanted at what he had found. 



' Is it a rare insect, then?" said the surgeon. 



' Yes," replied the ecclesiastic. 



' In that case you should give it to me." 



' Why ?" 



' Because I have a friend who has a fine collection of insects, who 

 would be pleased with it." 



" Very well, take him this insect ; tell him how you came by it, 

 and beg him to tell me its name." 



The surgeon went quickly to his friend's house. This friend 

 was Bory de Saint Vincent, a naturalist who became celebrated 

 afterwards, but who was very young at that time. He already 

 occupied himself much with the natural sciences, and in particular 

 with the classing of insects. The surgeon delivered to him the one 

 found by the priest, but in spite of all his researches, he was unable 

 to class it. 



Next day the surgeon having seen Latreille again in his prison, 

 was obliged to confess to him that in his friend's opinion this 

 Coleopteron had never been described. Latreille knew by this 

 answer that Bory de Saint Vincent was an adept. As they gave the 

 prisoner neither pen nor paper, he said to his messenger, " I see 

 plainly that M. Bory de Saint Vincent must know my name. You 

 tell him that I am the Abbe Latreille, and that I am going to die 

 at Guyana, before having published my 'Examen des Genres de 

 Fabricius."' 



Bory, on receiving this piece of news, took active steps, and 

 obtained leave for Latreille to come out of his prison, as a con- 

 valescent, his uncle Dayclas and his father being bail for him, and 

 pledging themselves formally to deliver up the prisoner the moment 

 they were summoned to do so by the authorities. The vessel which 

 was to have conducted Latreille to exile, or rather to death, was 

 getting ready whilst these steps were being taken, and while Bory and 

 Dayclas were obtaining leave for him to come out of prison. This 

 was quite providential, for it foundered in sight of Cordova, and the 

 sailors alone were able to save themselves. A little time afterwards 

 his friends managed to have his name scratched out from the list of 

 exiles. It is thus that the Necrobia ruficollis was the saving of 

 Latreille. 



