Descriptive Entry

These papers document Stelfox's work as a naturalist in Great Britain and Ireland and the development of his collection of Hymenoptera. They include diaries concerning Hymenoptera and other insects collected, 1921-1965; lists of mollusks collected, 1904-1917; correspondence, primarily with A. Clive Jewitt, G. E. J. Nixon, and R. C. L. Perkins, concerning Stelfox's study of Hymenoptera; manuscripts sent to Stelfox for comment; published papers, with extensive marginalia; illustrations; and working notes.

Historical Note

Arthur Wilson Stelfox (1883-1972), Irish naturalist and entomologist, was born in Belfast and studied architecture in Ireland and England. While practicing that profession, Stelfox also did some work in natural history and served as secretary of the Belfast Naturalists Field Club. In 1920, he received appointment as Assistant Naturalist at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, where he specialized in the Hymenoptera. Following his retirement in 1948, Stelfox continued to build his collections, and donated them to the Smithsonian in 1966.