151 
As a compreliensive handbook, his " Versuch einer Einfuhrung in das Stadium 
Koleopteren " deserves also special mention ; and a list of liis smaller papers 
be found in Hagen's " Bibliotheca Entomologica." 
Of late years, though always fully and diligently collecting all orders, Dr. 
loff had devoted most of his time to the Hymenoptera, especially to the Apidce, 
hown, for instance, by recent papers on Swiss Andrenidas, etc., in the " Mit- 
lungen der Schweiz. Entom. Gesellschaft." 
But to my own mind, leaving literary a.ttainments and professional activity — 
)oth of which I am quite incompetent to speak — out of the question, the chief 
it of Dr. Imhoft"'s scientific career seems to centre in the unwearied zeal he 
• after year brought to bear upon the discharge of his entomological lectureship 
lie Basle University. 
The study of insects is not attractive to the many ; the smallness of the objects 
irs all superficial curiosity ; there is to the outsider but little inducement to 
sr an arena where drudgery is the first prize : it is therefore not to be expected 
i every one, even of the few earnest students who annually clustered round his 
r, shoxdd become an entomologist, though several such instances did happen, 
ertheless, many have gathered a genei-al acquaintance with the science there, 
the fact remains, that the departed teacher voluntarily kept the flame of 
)mological lore burning steadily for a considerable period, and through good 
evil report, besides attending uninterruptedly to the collections of insects in 
Basle Museum. 
If but few would answer as disciples to his call within the pale of the University, 
influence in other scientific circles was all the greater ; and there are few Swiss 
)mologists and collectors, alive or dead, of the present and past generation, who 
B not, at some time or other, dei'ived both instruction and benefit from their 
rcourse with him. A certain undefined reserve, perhaps pure modesty, has 
n prevented Dr. Imhoff" from communicating, himself, the results of his life- 
l labours and ripe experience to the entomological world ; but the initiated can 
nly see where others have reaped the fruits of his toil. 
Fully interested in the progress of natural science, as Dr. Imhofi' was, he, as 
atter of course, did study the tide of modern thought ; and it speaks well for 
independence of his mature judgment, and for the freshness of his mind to the 
[ that although trained in the received belief of the immutability of species, he 
iiot shut his ears to modern views, as held by Darwin and others ; and, cautious 
fee extreme as he was, he did go more than once so far as to observe to the 
ier, that although quite unprepared to fall in with Darwin's notions, ho yet did 
see why so much animosity should be imported into this discussion, considering 
I so many facts in nature seemed to militate in favour of the Englishman's 
I. 
Finally, a word as to Dr. Imhofi^s behaviour to beginners, as experienced years 
iby the writer himself. Constant cheering-up, though in few words ; an appre- 
lon of every step forward j no proud looking down upon the opinion of others ; 
a steady, gentle way of instruction by word and deed : such were the leading 
ires of my late friend's teaching ; and, only in June last, on an excursion to 
IJrsern Valley, this long established iutercourse was again cemented by an 
fc days' daily exchange of ideas. 
