Obituary — Fkedeeick Smith. — It is but fitting that a Yorkshire 

 journal should notice the great loss which entomological science has 

 sustained by the death of a man who has contributed more than any- 

 other to the working out of the hymenopterous fauna of the county. For 

 the full record of the obligations under which he has laid the naturalists 

 of this county, it will suffice to refer to the lists of Yorkshire hymenoptera 

 in the Trans, of the Yorksh. Nat. Union for 1877 and 1878. Many 

 seasons have been spent by him. in the iavestigation of our hymenopterous 

 fauna — some of them in company with INIr. Talbot of Wakefield ; and 

 many of his new species were described from Yorkshire specimens. 

 Frederick Smith was born in London Dec. 30, 1805. Of early artistic 

 inclinations, he began life as an engraver, and in after days his own and 

 other papers profited by his ability to execute the plates. His tastes 

 gradually inclining him more and more to science, he eventually, on the 

 death of Sdwd. Doubleday in 1850, received an appointment in the 

 Zoological Department of the British Museum, an officer of which he 

 remained to the day of his death. In the same year he became a member 

 of the Entomological Society, of which for many years he was on the 

 Council, usually as a vice-j)resident, and in his turn he occupied for two 

 years the presidential chau\ In 1855 he published his monograph of 

 British bees, followed in 1858 by one on the ants, wasps, and fossores. 

 About the same time he published a series of catalogues of the Aculeate 

 Hymenoptera in the Museum, besides enriching by his pen all the entomo- 

 logical periodicals, and the Transactions of the Linnean, Zoological, and 

 Entomological Societies. In 1876 he brought out a second edition of his 

 ^'British Bees," and kept up his hterary work to the last. He died 

 suddenly in London, at the age of 73, on the 16th February last. Of 

 high general culture, a ripe Shakespearian scholar, of literary ability, of 

 kindly and amiable disposition, his companionship was highly appreciated 

 by his friends, while his popularity in the Entomological Society is 

 attested by the frequency with which he was a vice-president. His 

 scientific reputation may safely be permitted to rest upon his published 

 works, which include various important monographs. Montaigne says he 



would have every one write what he knows, and as much as he knows, 

 but no more," and this sentence is eminently characteristic of Frederick 

 Smith. He was a specialist who knew his own subject well, and gave his 

 fellow-men the benefit of his knowledge. He avoided two common 

 errors : on the one hand he did not suffer his knowledge of his own 

 speciality to perish with him : on the other he refrained from writing on 

 subjects which he had imperfectly studied. His name will never perish, 

 for it is associated with a long roll of species of which he was the describer, 

 or which were dedicated to him by his friends. May we hope that among 

 the small band of English hymenopterists there may rise up one who 

 shall take the prominent place which was so long held — first by William 

 Kirkby, and then by Frederick Smith.— W. D. R. 



