Bulletin of the Irish Biogeographical Society No. 35 (2011) NOTES ON THE IRISH ENTOMOLOGIST ALEXANDER HENRY HALIDAY (1806– 1870) Robert Nash1 and James P. O’Connor2 18 Hilden Court, Lisburn, Co. Antrim BT27 4YN, Northern Ireland. e-mail: <
[email protected]> 2Emeritus Entomologist, National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland. Abstract Alexander Henry Haliday (1806-1870) is the most famous of the Irish entomologists. Information is provided inter alia on his family, education, time in Dublin and Italy, membership of societies, the man, the collection, contacts, major achievements and important works. There are sections on Haliday and the Linnean Collection, and Charles Darwin. His entomological techniques and preferences are described. Haliday’s contributions to the biology of insects, the type concept and synonymy are also discussed. Valid Haliday genera and species occurring in Ireland are listed along with the valid species named after him. A comprehensive bibliography of his published works is included. Key words: Haliday, Linnean, Darwin, entomology, Ireland, collection, types, history, bibliography. Introduction This paper is mainly based on Nash, O’Connor and Hughes (2005), Nash (1983, 2011), O’Connor (1997) and O’Connor and Nash (1982) with some additions, amendments and corrections. Further information will be found in those articles. Alexander Henry Haliday, also known as Enrico Alessandro Haliday and Alexis Heinrich Haliday (1806–1870), was an Irish entomologist. He is primarily known for his work on the Hymenoptera, Diptera and Thysanoptera, but Haliday worked on all insect orders and on many 64 Bulletin of the Irish Biogeographical Society No. 35 (2011) aspects of entomology.