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Psyche 7:35, 1894.

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February 1894.1 PSYCHE. 35
HERMANN AUGUST HAG EN.
After three years of complete prostration, Dr. Hagen died at his home in Cambridge on November 9, 1893. He was born at Konigs- berg May 30, 1817 and in the course of his long life became one of the most distin- guished entomologists of the century.
He
lived in Khigsberg as a practising physi- cian until 1867 when he removed to Cam-
bridge to take charge of the entomological department of the Museum of comparative
zoology. In 1876 he declined a pressing
and tempting offer to return to his native country, to take charge of the entomological collections of the University Museum at
Berlin. His first essay and his inaugural dissertation on attaining the doctorate were upon
Odonata, and this group with other
Neuroptera formed afterward the chief sub- ject of his researches, though every order of insects has received treatment in the more than four hundred papers issued by him.
Undoubtedly the work by which he is
most widely known is his Bibliotheca ento- mologica, probably the best topical scientific bibliography ever published. Not only is it remarkably complete and free from errors, but in addition to an alphabetical arrange- ment by authors, in which the entries are chronological, it contains an admirably con- ceived classified index in a narrow compass which adds vastly to its usefulness. Would that the literature of the generation since its publication might receive similar treatment. American entomologists will especially
recognize the value of his contributions to a knowlege of our own Neuroptera, and
notably of the general work prepared by
him for the Smithsonian Institution, which gave a precision and a stimulus to later studies in this field. Had the definitions of the higher groups equalled those of the
species a really model work would have
been produced; as it was, it filled well a decided gap in our literature and has been the basis of all that has since appeared. Our information is now so much more extended and varied that a new work brought up to date is much needed.
His great skill and erudition were equally shown in the synonymical synopses of many families of Neuroptera which he published from time to time and in his monograph
of the white ants, one of the the most diffi- cult of studies-a real monument of learning. Another field of investigation followed by Hagen with great success was that of extinct Neuroptera. He has probably written more upon them, particularly upon the mesozoic European species, than any other author, and his contributions are among the very best that have enriched the study of fossil insects. The exactitude of his figures and the carefulness of his descriptions give them a particular merit.
During his twenty-five years' residence in this country, Dr. Hagen was remarkably
generous in the aid given by him to entom- ologists of all classes. He replied with great fulness and promptness to all en-
quiries, and being himself a mine of informa- tion in every department of entomology, his readiness was of immense service to his
correspondents. Through him the entomo-
logical library and collections of the museum were put to their fullest use and
his per-
sonal work in the arrangement and espe-
cially in the biological division of his special charge was something extraordinary. AI-
most single handed he brought the vast
collections into systematic order and kept them so, expending the greatest pains in their proper disposition and careful labell- ing. The evidence of his painstaking and faithful work is permanently fixed. His
death removes one of the beacon lights of our science.
[The delay in the appearance of this
notice is due to the fact that, owing to special circumstances, both the December and January numbers of Psyche were printed and even prepared for the mail before Dr. Hagen's death.]




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