You will believe how intensely I was interested in all I could hear about Professor Riley’s retirement. I was sorry for his indifferent health, but perhaps it was more the desire to be a free agent that led to his resignation. I think I could feel very much with him, but his was a magnificent post to resign.
October 28, 1895.
I was shocked and grieved to receive the news of our friend Professor Riley’s fatal accident.[[74]] Dr. Bethune kindly sent me a paper with the full account, and as I did not know what any one might do in properly announcing it here, I wrote a short letter to the “Times” which they inserted at once. This was just what one might call a friendly notice; an account of the accident and a few observations, the dry obituary notice (I mean the regular formal notice) had been inserted the previous day. I was very pleased to see yours in the “Canadian Entomologist.” It was very sad, and I feel his loss much, for he was always, when we corresponded, kind and helpful.
Here, things are going on (or standing still) much as usual, but it has been a grand year for fresh observations. I have secured a long carefully watched observation of Harpalus ruficornis (Ground beetle) feeding on strawberry fruit. I watched and recorded until I got so weary of acting as their fruiterer that I thought seventeen days’ observation was enough.
Amongst pine attackers I have had a lovely specimen of the Astynomus ædilis (Timberman beetle), sent me from the north of Scotland, the longest horned of the European “longhorns.” It is wonderfully pretty to see the tiny beetle, not three-quarters of an inch long, comfortably bearing its delicate antennæ, nearly half a foot in expanse. Also I have got a good observation of the Pine Shoot moth’s bad doings; the Retinia buoliana, the “Post-horn” attack as they call it in Germany, from the twisted shoots; and some other fresh work—but the great point of this year’s observation is Horse and Cattle Diptera, Warble flies, Gad flies, and Forest flies. Just now Forest flies are being sent me from India. The Indian species is very pretty. I have been working up the structure of the Hippoboscal foot, which is indeed wonderful (plates XXIII., XXIV.). I do not understand the details, so I have had two great drawings made, and lithographed, for my next Annual Report, with the tiny foot magnified to a size of 6 inches by 5, showing every detail that appears to me observable, and I wonder what the parts will be considered to do. I think I have made out a good deal, but there is some apparatus that none of the few people I have consulted make out.
Magnified, and lines showing natural length; strawberry fruit gnawed by Harpalus ruficornis.
FIG. 53.—GROUND BEETLES—“BAT BEETLE,” HARPALUS RUFICORNIS, FAB. (left), PTEROSTICHUS VULGARIS, LINN. (right).
Slightly larger than life; line showing natural length.
FIG. 54.—TIMBERMAN BEETLE, ASTYNOMUS ÆDILIS.
May 15, 1897.