FABRE, JEAN-HENRY. - Entomologist, b. at St-Leon (Aveyron) on 22 Dec. 1823, d. at Sérignan (Vaucluse) on 1 Oct. 1915. After a period of teaching at Carpentras, Ajaccio and Avignon, he retired in 1878 to Sérignan to devote himself entirely to botany and especially to entomology, directing his research to the instincts and behaviour of insects, thereby succeeding in correcting various errors accepted even by entomologists and presenting some particular discoveries, e.g., on the paralysis, by the Sphegidae, of the nerve centres of the prey, keeping it immobile but alive as food for the larvae; on the sex of the eggs of solitary Apidae, and on the hypermetamorphosis of the Meloid beetles. Towards the end of his life the merits of Fabre were publicly recognised even by the government; of those jubilee celebrations his famous reply to the question whether he believed in God remains well known: “Do I believe in Him? I see Him. Without Him I understand nothing. And not only have I cherished this conviction, but I have strengthened it.” In the scientific field he was a convinced anti-evolutionist and finalist.
The fruit of his studies is contained in the *Souvenirs entomologiques* (10 vols., Paris 1879-1907; definitive ed., 1919-25; Ital. trans., Milan 1922-27), which earned him the title of “poet of insects” for the charm of his style, combined with scientific probity and patient, minute observation. He also wrote many other works of popularisation, which, enlivened by a lively and witty style, helped to make the wonders of creation known and appreciated by an extraordinary number of readers; it is worth mentioning: *Les ravageurs*, récits de l'oncle Paul sur les animaux nuisibles à l'agriculture (Paris 1870); *Les auxiliaires*, récits... sur les animaux utiles à l'agriculture (ibid. 1873); *Les serviteurs*, récits... sur les animaux domestiques (ibid. 1875).