48 Pioneers in Entomology. 
subject of natural history. His division of insects was 
founded upon presence, or absence, and characteristics, of 
wings. This, like Swammerdam’s basis, was too narrow, 
yet his conclusions were remarkably correct. Linnzus is 
noted for his accurate descriptions, and especially for his 
gift of the binomial method of naming plants and animals, 
giving in the name, the genus and species, as Apis mellifica, 
He was also the first to introduce classes and orders, as we 
now understand them. Many of our best entomologists 
still accept the orders of insects as given by Linnzus. 
When we consider the amount and character of the work 
of the great Swede, we can but place him among the first, 
if not as the first, of naturalists. Contemporary with Lin- 
nus (also written Linné) was Geoffroy, who did valuable 
work in defining new genera. In the last half of the cen- 
tury appeared the great work of a master in entomology, 
DeGeer, who based his arrangement of insects on the char- 
acter of wings and jaws, and thus discovered another of 
nature’s keys to aid him in unlocking her mysteries. Kirby 
well says: “He united in himself the highest merit of 
almost every department of entomology.” As a scientist, 
an anatomist, a physiologist, and as the observant historian 
of the habits and economy of insects, he is above all praise. 
What a spring of self-improvement, enjoyment and public 
usefulness, is such an ability to observe as was possessed by 
the great DeGeer. 
Contemporary with Linneus and DeGeer, was Réau- 
mur, of France, whose experiments and researches are of 
special interest to the apiarists. Perhaps no entomologist has 
done more to reveal the natural history of bees. Espe- 
cially to be commended are his method of experimenting, 
his patience in investigation, the elegance and felicity of 
his word pictures, and, above all, 22s devotion to truth. 
We shall have occasion to speak of this conscientious and 
indefatigable worker in the great field of insect life fre- 
quently in the following pages. Bonnet, of Geneva, the 
able correspondent of Réaumur, also did valuable work, 
in which the lover of bees has a special interest. Bonnet 
is specially noted for his discovery and elucidation of par- 
thenogenesis—that anomalous mode of reproduction—as it 
