Alexander Haliday (Fig.
2) was born in Belfast in 1807. At the age of 15, he entered Trinity College, Dublin, remaining there 5 years and obtaining an M.A. degree. Next, he studied law, and apparently was successful, although it is not clear that he ever practiced this profession. Returning to the north of Ireland, he devoted his time to the study of literature and natural history. He was appointed High Sheriff of the county of Antrim in 1843, a political position rather than one in law-enforcement. Beginning in 1828, he published a long series of papers on the Irish insect fauna, especially Diptera. He also published extensively on Chalcidoidea and other “parasitic” Hymenoptera, and on Thysanoptera. Due to poor health, he emigrated to Lucca, Italy, about 1860. There, he continued collecting insects and helped to found the Società Entomologica Italiana. He died on July 12, 1870.
