44 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



The Lancashire and Cheshire Naturalist, vol. xiv, No. 1, 1921. 

 The above part of this well-known journal contains a short but 

 interesting article by J. C. Melvill on the Sidebotham Collection of 

 British Lepidoptera recently presented to the Manchester Museum. 

 The collection is a valuable one, being chiefly remarkable for the 

 number of rarities it contains, such as, to mention only two species, 

 a very fine series of Heodes dispar and a genuine British specimen of 

 Bryophila algce. 



OBITUAKY. 



Dk. T. A. Chapman. 



The angel of death has taken a heavy toll from the ranks of 

 British Entomologists during the past year, but the beating of his 

 wings has not been beard so loudly as when it heralded the departure 

 from amongst us of Thomas Algernon Chapman ; for in him 

 Entomology has lost one of its foremost figures, one who was 

 respected and admired by all who knew him. 



" The Doctor," to give him the name by which he was universally 

 known by his very numerous friends, was born at Glasgow on June 

 2nd, 1842, and he would thus be in his eightieth year at the time of 

 his death, which occurred at his residence at Reigate on December 

 17th last. He was the son of Thomas Chapman, himself a well- 

 known entomologist, from whom no doubt he inherited his tastes 

 for the insect world. Although born at Glasgow, Dr. Chapman was 

 English on both his father's and mother's side. 



According to the ' Times ' he " qualified as L.R.C.S.Edin. and 

 M.D.Glasg. (Honours). He became Resident Physician and Surgeon 

 of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and afterwards joined the Staff of the 

 Abergavenny Asylum ; later he obtained the appointment of Medical 

 Superintendent of the County and City Asylum at Hereford," an 

 appointment he relinquished about the year 1896. Shortly after this 

 date he came to reside at Reigate; he was never married. 



Without doubt the late Dr.- Chapman was one of the greatest 

 and most scientific entomologists we have ever produced, and one who 

 in certain departments must be regarded as the greatest exponent 

 Britain has given the science. Some of his characteristics can 

 perhaps be best conveyed by quoting the following description 

 written of him by his great friend and co-worker the late J. W. Tutt 

 some twenty years ago : " An unlimited capacity for hard work, a 

 scientific training that can only be attained by entomologists who 

 follow medicine as a profession, an omnivorous reader, a logical 

 reasoner, and a profound thinker, these are amongst the factors that 

 have united in placing him in the very front ranks of the entomolo- 

 gists of his time." Foremost amongst his remarkable powers was his 

 acuteness of observation ; little facts that others would not have 

 noticed were seized upon, their significance realised, and important 

 deductions made therefrom. His clear logical mind and soundness 



