228 OUR INSECT FRIENDS AND FOES 



remained detained in the prison of the Grand 

 Seminaire. In the same chamber which he 

 occupied there was at the 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. 1 ' 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 



