# Alexander Henry Haliday, also known as Enrico Alessandro Haliday and Alexis Heinrich Haliday (1807–1870) Letters and manuscripts/Fragmentia

Alexander Henry Haliday, also known as Enrico Alessandro Haliday and Alexis Heinrich Haliday (1807–1870) Letters and manuscripts
IBD
* Ags.—Agassiz.
* Ahr. f. e. and fu.—Ahrens, Fauna lnsectorum Europae
* Be.—Bouche.
* Brm. aud Bms.—Burmeister.
* Brulle exp. m. — Brulle, Expedition Scientifique de la Moree.
* Carlier, ann. soc. ent. fr.— Carlier, Annales de la Societe Entomologique de la France.
* Ct. b. e.—Curtis, British Entomology
* Den. and De.—Duncan.
* Dg. aud Deg. ius. and i.—De Geer, Insectes,&c.
* Dmr. and Dml.—Dumeril, Dict. Nouv.de l'Histoire Naturelle.
* Duv. and Dnvn.—Donovan, British Insects.
* Duf. and Df.—Leon Dufour.
* Fb. 8. e. ; sp. i., sp., and s. i. ; mnt. ;e. s. ; s. a.—Fabricius, Systema Entomologiae, Species Insectorum,Mantissa Insectorum, Entomologia Systematica, Systema Antliatorum.
* Fln. d. s. ; spl., sppl., suppl. ; anthri-.asil. ; dol.; emp. ; str. ; syrph- —Fallen, Diptera Sueciae; Supplement; Anthracides ; Asilici ; Dolichopodes; Empidae ; Stratiomydae; Syrphici.
* Fischer progr.—Fischer von Waldheini Programme.
* Ftr. aud Frst., s. sp., and ct.—Forster,Cent. ; Novae Species Insectorum.
* Gf. and Gfr. ; ins. cd. Fery.—Geoffoy,Histoire des Insects ; Insecta edente Fourcroy, or Entomologia Parisiensis.
The 9th and 10th vols, of the Linnean Transactions, the 2nd and 3rd vols, of Germar's Magazin, and the 3rd and 4th parts of Gyllenhal, contain valuable information relating to the genus Apion, which comprises the following British species, arranged by Germar nearly in the succeeding order. I. Rostrum porrected. A. Rostrum subulated. 1. Pomonae F.— caerulescens K..— glaber Marsh. 2. subulatum Kirby. 3. Craccae L. K.—ruficorne K. 4. Platalea Germ. 5. Spencii K. B. Rostrum cylindric or filiform. a. Antennas inserted towards the base. 1. Legs dark. 6. vicinum K. —Loti Gyll.—incrassatum Ger. 7. pusillum Ger.—atomarium K. 8. pubescens Kirby supp. 9. confluens Kirby. 10. Hookeri Kirby. 11. laevigatum Kirby. aeneum P.—chalceus M.—cyaneus Pz. Curtisii Kirby Mss.—aciculare? Ger. Onopordi Kirby. Carduorum K.—Sorbi M.—gibbirostre Gyll radiolus K.—oxurum K.—aterrimus M. 2. Legs pale. 17. Malva; Fab. K. 18. vernaleP.—Lythri Pz.—concinnus M. 19. rufirostre F. K.—Malvarum K. 20. pallipes K.—geniculatum Ger. 21. flavifemoratum K.—Trifolii M.— apricans Herb, b. Antennae inserted at the middle. 1. Legs pale. Viciae Pk. K.—Trifolii J/.—difficile H. obscurum M. K. difforme Ger. Curt. varipes Gerin. laevicolle K. supp. 27. flavipes F. K. Pz. 28. aestivum Ger. 29. assimile K. 30. nigritarse K. 31. frumentarium L. Pz. -sanguineus DeG. Gyll. 32. haematodes K. 2. Legs dark. a. Body oblong. 33. Seniculus K. — plebeium Ger.— tenuius? Ger. 34. civicum Ger. 35. Loti K. 36. tenue K. 37. brevirostre K-.—humile Ger.—curtirostre Ger. 38. minimum Herb.—velox K. supp. 39. ebeninum K. 40. scutellare K. supp. 41. Kirbii Germ. 42. Meliloti K. 43. cyaneum Herb.—violaceum K. 44. Hydrolapathi M. K. 45. marchicum K.. 46. Rumicis K. same as last, 47. affine K. 48. virens Herb. K.—aeneo-cephalum Gyll._ 49. Astragali Pk. K. 50. simile K., supp. 51. glabratum Ger. 52. vorax K.—villosulus & fuscicornis M. Body subglobose. 53. filirostre K. 54. Pisi F.—striatum M. K. 55. immune K 56. atratulum Germ. 57. unicolor K.— aethiops Gyll. 58. Gyllenhalii K. same as last, 59. subsulcatum M. K. 60. Ononis K. 61. Ervi K. 62. Lathyri K. var. of last, 63. pavidum Germ. 64. Spartii K . 65. foveolatum K..—cyaneum Gyll. 66. punctifrons K. 67. punctigerum Ger.—punctiger Pk. —sulcifrons K. 68. Limonii K. 69. Sorbi F. Pz.—laevigatus Pk.—viridescens M. II. Rostrum nutant. 70.Genistas K. 71. fuscirostre F.—melanopum K. 72. ulicis M. K.
Entomological Magazine 2 1834 Note.—As the variations of the palpi in this genus [Aphidius. Essenbeck] are not always indicated by any evident distinction in other external characters, I have sought, where an opportunity offered, to obtain a view of them in recent specimens ; but in many cases have been obliged to content myself with relaxing the parts. As, however, such minute characters may be easily mistaken on a superficial view, I wish to enumerate the species whose trophi were submitted to actual dissection :—Nos. 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17, 21, 22, 24, 27, 29, 30, 32, 34, m, 37, 39, 40, 43, and 44. A. H. Haliday. 3, New Cumberland-street, Dublin. Nov. 22, 1833.
Entomological Magazine 2 1834 COLLOQUIA ENTOMOLOGICA.
Amb. The medical properties of Clericus and double D, I should imagine, to be sudorific. Erro. And Osteology occasions cough, by sticking in the trachea:—but John Curtis has put an extinguisher on that. Ent. The Osteology 's [Entomological Magazine 2, 1834 Art. VI. Osteology, or External Anatomy of Insects. By Edward Newman] nothing to me ; one of -----'s writers say it isn't mine. Erro. What envious mortal has done that? Amb. Who does he say wrote it, then ? Ent. Haliday. Ven. Haliday ! he 'll very soon set that at rest ; Haliday 's one of the most honourable men I know. Ent. I think he'll look queerish, when he sees all my rigmarole fathered upon him. Amb. What shall you do? Ent. Do! nothing! laugh and grow fat. Erro. I say. Ambulator, — (leaning across the table)— Parca non mendax dedit et malignum Spernere vulgus. Ent. How does that run in the vernacular ? Amb. Something in this way : — Th' indulgent fates to you have given A glorious boon, a boon of heaven, A joyous soul, that laughs to scorn The envy of the lowly born. Ven. Capital !—good !—very good
Hope Department Oxford Haliday A. H. Two specimens of Nebria borealis from Lough Neagh and three of Pseudopsis sulcata from Holywood to Hope (September 1846). Part of his collection of Chalcidoidea Mymaridae through exchange with J. 0. Westwood (1886) (see Graham, M. W. R. de V., 1982, Proc. R. 1rish.Acad. (B) 82 B(12), 191 -2,237-9).The Collections contain a few syntypes of other Chalcidoidea collected by Haliday and described by F. Walker, and a few described by Haliday himself; also Irish Coleopterous larvae sent to Westwood in 1856.
Dale J, . C. and C. W. Collection mainly of British insects of unique historic interest begun by J. C. Dale. Bequeathed with additions by his son C. W. Dale (a great friend of J. 0. Westwood) in 1906 on condition that it should be kept permanently separate under the name of the 'Dale Collection'. Originally comprised seven cabinets of British Lepidoptera, three cabinets of foreign Lepidoptera, five cabinets of British Coleoptera, 14 cabinets of British Hymenoptera and Diptera, four cabinets of Odonata, seven or eight cabinets of shells, eggs, etc. The Odonata and Orthoptera have been transferred to modern cabinets in the general collection for safety. The collection contains some Types of Lepidoptera, described by J. Curtis, collected during Sir John Ross's second voyage in search of a north-west passage,1829-33, a few Selys Odonata Types, some syntypes of Walker Chalcidoidea, a number of Haliday specimens, insects collected in France by Curtis in 1830, and some taken by P. Walker in Sweden and Norway in 1836. There are also four drawers of Wollaston beetles from Madeira, Cape Verde, Canary Islands, and St Helena and five drawers of shells from the Atlantic Islands.Two bronze celts which had formed part of the Dale Collection were transferred to the Ashmolean Museum in 1961.
Insecta Britannica Diptera
[Francis Walker's Insecta Britannica Diptera is a masterwork of entomology because of Haliday's contribution- the Synonyma and the Synopsis of families.This is not to undervalue Walker who compiled and organised it and, no doubt wrote unaided many parts especially the descrptions of species, and without error transcribed Haliday's messily altered manuscripts with uncertainly attached marginal notes.The work, which is in three volumes, begins with a characteristic Haliday logic, a description of the order in Latin].
Os suctorium, probiscide, setis inclusis, palpisque. Alae binae; halteres bine pone alas. Tarsi pentameri.
[This is followed by a Synonyma *for the Order
Typically, and most unusually for the date, the synonyms, which differ in kind, are explained. Such completeness is seldom evident even today and demonstrates as much as any other part of Haliday's work his grasp of fundamental principle. There were few such. In Diptera, Zetterstedt perhaps comes closest in this most important arena as Haliday recognized.
"Zetterstedt is not one of the writers who are content to make a parade of erudition, by transcribing synonyms one after the other, without the pains of critical discrimination. The authorities he cites have evidently been collated with scrupulous care, while he has not thought it necessary, in general, to go back to the older authorities, with the exception of Linnaeus, Fabricius and Degeer. But he has not had access to all the recent sources, especially those of the English literature, so that some portions of his matter will turn out to have been anticipated. The admirable BRITISH ENTOMOLOGY of Curtis, is not once referred to, and thus, among other things, the geunus Dolichopeza is attributed, without remark, to Meigen who had ommitted to cite from Curtis the original author. Hence also the representatives of other modern genera, in the Swedish fauna lie disguied under alias names- Diadocidia ferruginosa as Sciara testacea- Catocha under Lestremia- Corynoneura among the Chironomi of Zetterstedt. Having inserted, for completeness sake, the descriptions from other pens of some species, the originals of which he had not an oppurtunity of collating, he has, consequently, been led, in one or two instances, to give the same insect twice over; thus the genus Cordyla appears among the Rhyphii, and again, as Pachypalpus (Macquart), among the Mycetophilinae, and Ditomyia annulata is twice described as Ceroplatus flavus and as Mycetobia annulata. He has not constantly regarded the strict law of priority to which we have been accustomed to defer, in the application of generic and trivial names. Fallen and Fabricius seem to weigh with him sometimes more than age or usage, and rules are made to yield to predilection."
Zetterstedt was seventy and had most likely decided to abandon perfection so as to enable him to proceed with "a like history of the Hemiptera which we are authorized to expect from his hand". Here we have to choose between quantity (Zetterstedt) and quality (Haliday). The same is true of other prolific authors. Haliday's obsessive perfectionism delayed many of his works and no doubt eliminated others planned but on the other hand his expert and very complete synonymies progressed the science of taxonomic entomology. Names accepted or rejected by Haliday could be taken as definitive. The price he paid was less recognition as a major author in later years, though it gave him preeminence in his day. The same is true of later nomenclatorists today, though not amongst their contemporaries.
A technical matter The Synonyma is very technical but it is partially given here to illustrate the clarity and logical nature of Haliday's procedure as well as the huge knowledge to which it was applied. None of the books listed which are in several languages are easy reading.]
DIPTERA
Os suctorium, probiscide, setis inclusis, palpisque. Alae binae; halteres bine pone alas. Tarsi pentameri. Synonyma
The synonyms are arranged in the following gradations:-
1, homonymous [Line]1 1. Equivalent 2, synonymous[Line] 2 1, in two members[Line] 3-6 2. Collective 2, in three members Line]7-10
3. Supplementary An entire group and part of another co-ordinate [Line]11-17
4. Indefinite Portions only of groups [Line]18,19
5. Ancient, before the distinct gradations of groups were observed [Line]20-22
Insect Britannica -"This, that and the other thing"- Synonyms for the Order Diptera
Line 1. Oken, 1821.--Burmeister; Strauss Durkheim; Erichson; Siebold. Haliday is explaining here that his use of the name Diptera is precisely equivalent to that of the authors listed.
Line 2. Antliata: Schioedte, 1841. Here Haliday is stating that his use of the name Diptera is for an identical systematic group which Shiodte named Antliata
Line 3. Diptera et Suctoria: Degeer, 1778; Latreille, 1797; Savigny; Dugès. Here Haliday is saying that his systematic group named Diptera includes the Suctoria, or fleas, a group separated from the Diptera under the name Suctoria by Degeer, Latreille, Savigny and Dugès.
Line 4. Diptera et Aptera : M'Leay, 1821. McLeay, unlike Haliday, considered the fleas a separate order for which he used Linnaeus name Aptera
Line 5. Diptera et Siphonaptera: Latreille, 1825 Modern authors, unlike Haliday, consider the fleas a separate order from the Diptera, using Latreille's name Siphonaptera for them.
Line 6. Diptera et Aphaniptera : Kirby, 1826; Westwood Westwood called the fleas Aphaniptera as do some modern authors.
From 7-10 Three order level groups not two, are included in Haliday's single order Diptera.
Line 7. Diptera, Omaloptera et Aptera : Leach, 1819. A third group is introduced- the Omaloptera.These perplexing insects, in which the young are born in a stage like the pupa, are really Diptera as Haliday thought. According to Leach Omaloptera, Aptera and Diptera are separate orders.
Line 8. Diptera, Pupipara et Suctoria: Latr., 1821 Latreille called the insects Leach had called Omaloptera, Pupipara. He called the fleas Suctoria. Latreille thought all three were separate orders.
Line 9. Diptera, Homaloptera et Aphaniptera : Stephens, 1821 Curtis. Here called Homaloptera , Diptera and Aphaniptera are treated as three separate orders.
Line 10. Diptera, Omaloptera et Pulicarii : Rondani, 1841 In this work Rondani reverted to the spelling Omaloptera and called the fleas Pulicarii.
In the next group of synynoyms (11-17) Haliday merges "an entire group and part of another co-ordinate" . From here on the situation becomes complicated and more detail than Haliday gives is necessary for complete understanding.
Line 11. Diptera et Aptera p.: Linnaeus, 1753; Geoffroy; Müller; Olivier: p means part, ie. only part of the Aptera are included.
Line 12. [continuation of 11] Cuvier; Dumeril; (Meigen; Fallen; Zetterstedt)The entire group here is Diptera only the Aphaniptera , or fleas are included here by Haliday although this is not stated.
Line 13. Halterata et Pedestria p.: Scopoli, 17 The Halterata are a whole group within the Diptera. Only part of the Pedestria which are, partially, also Diptera.
Line 14. Muscoides et Oniscoides p. : Laicharting, 1781: These names are seldom found, the work is obscure.
Line 15. Halteriptera et Rophoteira p. : Claireville, 1798: Again the names are obscure and the purpose of their inclusion is to eliminate them.
Line 16. Diptera et Antennidia p. : Rafinesque, 1815 Rafinesque considered the Antennidia a separate and equivalent group to the Diptera. Here Haliday is merging the two.
Line 17. Aptera et Diptera p.: Lamarck. Lamarck's Diptera included insect groups other than Diptera.
Line 18. Angioptera p. : Linnaeus, 1735: Haliday was uncertain as to exactly what Linnaeus, writing in 1735 had meant by Angioptera, hence the term "Indefinite". Linnaeus initially divided the insects into four orders: Coleoptera, Angioptera, Hemiptera, and Aptera. Diptera were only part of the order Angioptera.
Line 19. Antliata p. et Ryngota p. Fabricius, 1775; Illiger etc.: Haliday is rendering these groups redundant.
Ancient synonyms
And for completeness Haliday includes "Ancient, before the distinct gradations of groups were observed" These names go back to antiquity. Aristotle lived from 384-322 BC, Pliny from 23-79 AD. Martin Lister was a much later figure (1775-1858).
Line 20. Diptera et Aptera p.: Aristoteles.
Line 21. Bipennia et Impennia p.: Plinius
Line 22. Anelytra Bipennia , &c.: Lister
The divisions of Diptera
[Synonyma is followed by a description of the order Diptera in note form, then in a short explanatory essay. Both the description and the essay are in English. Then, using antennal placement (lying flat in cavities on side of head as opposed to seated in front of the head) the Diptera are divided into the SUCTORIDEA and , together, the PROBOSCIDEA and EPROBOSCIDEA. This divides the fleas, now separated as an Order, Siphonaptera from the Diptera as now construed.
The Proboscidea and Eproboscidea are divided by leg placement (on the thorax): close side by side in the Proboscidea, distant in the Eproboscidea.
A synonyma for the Suctoridea (fleas) follows, then brief notes, in Latin, on the features of the order.
Next a synonyma for the Proboscidea is followed by brief notes, in Latin, then more fully in English.
The Proboscidea are then divided into 1. Nemocera and 2. and 3. together, the Brachycera- Antennae - with distinct joints, at least 6, (usually more than10) and Hypocera- Antennae- with 3 to ten joints; after the third closely united, or abruptly slighter.
The Brachycera and Hypocera are then divided using differences in wing venation.
Brachycera "Posterior veins of the wing branched or interlaced, more or less".
Hypocera "Posterior veins of the wing simple, detached and very faint".
Next:-
Nemocera ( attributed to Latr. [Latreille] ; Macq. [Macquart] ; &c ) are briefly described in Latin, with additions to previous diagnoses.
Brachycera ( attributed to Macq. are briefly described in Latin, then, more in essay form, in English
Hypocera (attributed to Macq. [Macquart] = Trineurae Latr. [Latreille] are briefly described in Latin
Eproboscidea (unattributed - but Latreille, 1089) a synonyma then the taxon is briefly described in Latin, with additions to previous diagnoses.
The name Brachycera, dipterists should note is used in a far less restricted way than it is today. For those interested in such matters a fascinating website "Nomina Circumscribentia Insectorum - Catalogue of Circumscriptional names of arthropod taxa compiled by Nikita Julievitch Kluge is an invaluable aid- ]
Mr. Haliday, in some observations upon the distribution of the Pupivora (Ent. Mag. vol. i. 343, note i), thinks it would be rash to divide this family into families, [as Mr. Shuckard,* and Mr.Haliday himself, but less extensively, have since proposed,] the chain being so much interrupted from the small number of genera comprised in it ; adding - the family besides, is, in its presentform, far too convenient a receptacle for all stray articles to be lightly resigned. I am obliged to enrich it further, at the expense of the Ichneumones, with two genera [Mr. J. O. Westwood on Evania] —Stephanus and Plancus
The Bibliography of the order Thripsina may be said to be exclusively in the hands of Mr. Haliday : I am aware that species have been described by Linnaeus, Fabricius, Kirby, Muller, Burmeister, Amyot, Heeger and others, but the collection and arrangement of the scattered and somewhat crude descriptions of other writers has been undertaken and achieved by that accomplished Entomologist, who has interwoven his materials with a mass of original observations that confers the chief value on the digested summary. Mr. Haliday's papers on Thrips were published in the Third Volume of the Entomological Magazine, pp. 439—551, in the year 1836, and in the fourth part of the Catalogue of Homopterous Insects in the British Museum, pp. 1094—1118, in the year 1852. In both instances the group is called an " order," and named, in the first instance, Thysanoptera, in the second,Physapoda, the termination of the first name appearing to indicate that the learned author considered the Thripsina an equivalent group to Hemiptera and Orthoptera, with which he especially contrasts it ; and the second implying a sectional or secondary>>> division, such an one in fact as they occupy as a portion of the Homoptera in the Museum Catalogue, lie this as it may, 1 learn from Mr. Haliday himself that he is about to undertake a complete revision of his previous labours, which revision he will doubtless accompany with a careful consideration of the position and rank held by the Thripsina in the insect world. Until the publication of his views I shall continue to regard them as forming an intrinsic and essential portion of the restricted class Neuroptera, with which the metamorphosis and alary characters are in