Donisthorpe, Horace St. John Kelly (1870-1951)

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Horace St. John Kelly Donisthorpe (March 17, 1870 – April 22, 1951) was an eccentric British myrmecologist and coleopterist, memorable in part for his enthusiastic championing of the renaming of the genus Lasius after him as Donisthorpea, and for his many claims of discovering new species of beetles and ants. He is often considered to be the greatest figure in British myrmecology.

Educated at Mill Hill House, Leicester and Oakham School, Donisthorpe went to Heidelberg University to read medicine. However, his "too sensitive nature" forced him to give up this career. Being possessed of a private income, from about 1890 he devoted his life to the study of beetles and ants.

Probably the best known of his collecting grounds were the ancient forests of Windsor Great Park in Berkshire where he had permission to collect extensively and where so many of his important discoveries were made.

Donisthorpe was controversial in part because he was often considered overeager in his attempts to identify new species of ants and beetles. In fact, of the 30 new species he identified, 24 were subsequently deemed to be insufficiently distinct to be considered separate species or to be synonymous with previous valid species. It is, however, accepted that he did indeed identify new species:

Educated at Mill Hill House, Leicester and Oakham Grammar School, Donisthorpe went to Heidelberg University to read medicine. However, his "too sensitive nature" forced him to give up this career. Being possessed of a private income, from about 1890 he devoted his life to the study of beetles and ants. Probably the best known of his collecting grounds were the ancient forests of Windsor Great Park in Berkshire where he had permission to collect extensively and where.

Information about Donisthorpe is surprisingly thin considering that he lived to the age of 80 and for much of his life was one of our foremost Coleopterists. One might have thought that the strength of character hinted at by contemporaries; his 'kinks', about which I have heard and seen various references; and the controversy which surrounded some of his new species, would have ensured a fuller record, but this is not the case. (But see below).

He was educated at Mill Hill House, Leicester and Oackham Grammar School before going to Heidelberg University to study medicine. His 'too sensitive nature' forced him to give up this career however, and, being possessed of a private income, from about 1890 he devoted his life to the study of beetles and ants. Frank Bouskell, who described Donisthorpe as 'his oldest friend' wrote in ERJV, 63, 1951, p.228: 'He did his early collecting with me at Bradgate Park, Bardon Hill and Budon Wood where he was first interested in ants and their hosts. About this time I first introduced him to Mr F. Bates, brother of Bates of the Amazons, who later gave him his almost complete collection of Coleoptera. [On this statement see Bates, F.]. Later on we went to Wicken Fen, the New Forest, Isle of Wight, etc... I should [also] mention our joint trip to South Kerry'. Probably the best known of his collecting grounds was Windsor where he had permission to collect extensively and where so many of his important discoveries were made.

Donisthorpe published some 800 books and articles from 1890 when his first note, on Creophilus maxillosus v. ciliaris Steph. appeared in the EMM The majority were on beetles and ants. His first article on myrmecophilous Coleoptera specifically appeared in 1896. The most important of his publications are: Catalogue of British Coleoptera, 1904, compiled with T. Hudson Beare; 'The Coleoptera of the Isle of Wight' in Leics. Lit. Phil. Soc., 10, 1906, pp.3-23; the supplementary sixth volume which he compiled with W. W. Fowler to the latter's Coleoptera of the British Isles, 1913; chapter on entomology in Grant Duff, Life and Work of Lord Avebury, 1924; British Ants their Life-History and Classification, 1915, second edition 1927; Guests of British Ants, 1927; An Annotated List of the Additions to the British Coleopterous Fauna, 1931; and A Preliminary List of the Coleoptera of Windsor Forest, 1939, dedicated to the memory of Florence Jane Kirk, for long his constant companion on collecting trips.

Donisthorpe showed no reluctance to determine specimens both as new to Britain and new to science. Some of his contemporaries considered that he was overly enthusiastic in this respect. K.G. Blair in his obituary in EMM, 87, 1951, p.215, wrote: 'While there is no doubt that 'Donnie' as he was known to his friends, had an unusually keen eye for a new species, about 30 having been described by him on the British list, not to mention numerous new varieties of already known species and known continental species first discovered in Britain by him, his zeal sometimes led him into indiscretion and some few of his new species will have to be abandoned as insufficiently distinct...' Blair's concern has been borne out by modern research so that today only two of Donisthorpe's new species remain in our list: Ilyobates bennetti, 1914, and Leptacinus intermedius, 1936. The suppression of most of Donisthorpe's species is unfortunate if for no other reason than that many of them commemorated other well known coleopterists.

One of Donisthorpe's foibles was that he would not permit specimens collected by others in his collection. R.W. Lloyd wrote to the EMM, 87, 1951, p.215 about this as follows: 'Mr Donisthorpe was a very fine Coleopterist, but he had that curious 'kink' shared by one or two other people, that he would only put in his collection beetles he had taken with his own hands. Luckily for him he was a man of leisure and he was able to go about the country when he heard of any rare beetles being taken. It led, however, to some curious results, as on a celebrated occasion when a collector in the New Forest got a very rare beetle - Velleius I believe it was - and advised Mr Donisthorpe, who telegraphed him to put a tumbler over it on the ground and keep it there until he was able to go and collect it himself.'

Donisthorpe's work on ants, which led to his becoming an unofficial member of staff of the NHM where he studied foreign species in particular, involved him in setting up elaborate breeding cages. In these he was not only able to study the relationship of ants and beetles, which led to many important discoveries, but the cages were also used by Chapman and Frohawk to work out the life cycle of the large blue butterfly Maculinea arion L.

Donisthorpe made more than one hundred gifts of insects to the NHM between 1889, when he presented 400 beetles collected in Germany, and his death. Several of these gifts were of material collected by other coleopterists and several included larvae, etc.. His main British collection of Coleoptera amounting to 22,084 specimens was presented in 1934 (1934.4). It was originally preserved in a 40-drawer cabinet but has now been amalgamated into the general collection. The collection included more than 100 types. This gift also included a spirit collection of larvae, etc., microscope preparations, books, and 63 volumes of separates.

Donisthorpe also made numerous gifts to the HDO between 1899 and 1924, and in 1927 a Windsor collection to which he continued to add specimens until 1943. In connection with this collection K.G. Blair noted: 'after the completion of his own series of six the next specimen was always reserved for the Hope Department'. This collection is maintained separately. The Hope Department also houses Donisthorpe's MS Windsor notes in 4 volumes; annotated copies of his and Beare's 1904 Catalogue, and Beare's A Catalogue of the Recorded Coleoptera of the British Isles, 1930; an interleaved copy of his Windsor Preliminary List, 1939; and a copy of the photograph in the front of the same publication in a carved oak frame. Smith (1986, p.115) also records that Donisthorpe sold his collection of ants and associated insects to the HDO in 1927 for

I have also seen beetles collected by Donisthorpe at Manchester in the general collection, in the Kauffmnn collection of Cerambycidae and in Colin Johnson's collection of weevils, and in the RSM in the May collection. The Manchester Museum also has some manuscript and other material relating to Donisthorpe including a small notebook of 87 pages with an index of species and lists of localities, the first page being stamped 'Bibliotheca H. Donisthorpe', and a volume listing the people to whom he sent reprints after 1932.

The main collection of Donisthorpe's manuscript material is in the NHM and includes: five volumes titled Journal of British Coleoptera captured by H. Donisthorpe, being A list of the British Coleoptera taken by me and in my collection with dates, localities and notes on how captured, arranged in the form of a journal, 1879-1883, 1902-1914, 1915-1930, 1930-1938, 1938-1940; a notebook listing the Coleoptera and Hymenoptera duplicates including the names of people to whom specimens were given; a notebook listing the Coleoptera of Cambridgeshire; an annotated copy of Catalogue of British Coleoptera, 1904; and a correspondence collection of 200 items covering the period from 1900-1948 which includes letters from A.A. Allen, T.H. Beare and J.H. Keys; for a full list see Harvey et al. (1996, pp. 61-62).

Donisthorpe was a member of the editorial panel of the ERJV from 1897; FRES from 1891 (Vice President 1911, Council on three occasions, Special Life Fellow); a Corresponding Member of the Dutch Entomological Society from 1931; and a member of the Entomological Club of which he became senior member and Secretary.

Apart from the notices mentioned above Gilbert (1977: 95) lists: Ent. Ber., Amst., 13, 1951, p. 317 (by P. Van de Wiel); Proc. RESL, C, 16, 1952, p.84 (by N.D. Riley) and J. Soc. Brit. Ent., 4, 1951, pp. 23-24 (by R.B. Benson). A photograph of Donisthorpe with Florence Kirk and members of the Crown Estate Office at Windsor, taken from the original at Oxford, is included in his Windsor list. (MD 6/02)

Since writing the above I have received extensive information about the Donisthorpe family from Andrew Belsey. Horace was the second son of George Ernest Donisthorpe and his wife Rebecca Sabina n

Primary location of author's collection:.

TAXONOMIC PUBLICATIONS

 * Donisthorpe, H. 1908a. Additions to the wild fauna and flora of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: VII. I. Fauna. Hymenoptera. Formicidae (Ants). Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 1908:121-122.
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1908b. Ants found in Great Britain. Transactions of the Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society 12:221-233. [1908-07] 124196
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1909a. Additions to the wild fauna and flora of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: IX. Fauna. Hymenoptera. Formicidae (Ants). Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 1909:250-251. [1909-09] 124197
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1909b. Formica sanguinea, Latr. at Bewdley, with an account of a slave-raid, and description of two gynandromorphs. Zoologist 1909:463-466. [1909-12] 124198
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1911a. Lasius mixtus, Nyl., in Britain. Entomologist's Record and Journal of Variation 23:236-238. [1911-09] 124199
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1911b. Additions to the wild fauna and flora of the Royal Botanic Gardens: XII. Hymenoptera. Formicidae (Ants). Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 1911:367-369. [1911-12-02] 124200
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1911c. A revised list of the British ants. Entomologist 44:389-391. [1911-12] 124201
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1912a. Myrmecophilous notes for 1911. Entomologist's Record and Journal of Variation 24:4-10. [1912-01-15] 124202
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1912b. Some races of ants new to Britain. Entomologist's Record and Journal of Variation 24:306. [1912-12-15] 124203
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1913a. Some notes on the genus Myrmica. [part]. Entomologist's Record and Journal of Variation 25:1-8. [1913-01-15] 124204
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1913b. Some notes on the genus Myrmica, Latr. [concl.]. Entomologist's Record and Journal of Variation 25:42-48. [1913-02-15] 124205
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1913c. Myrmecophilous notes for 1912. Entomologist's Record and Journal of Variation 25:61-68. [1913-03-15] 124206
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1913d. Ants and myrmecophiles on Lundy. Entomologist's Record and Journal of Variation 25:267-269. [1913-11-15] 124207
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1913e. On some remarkable associations between ants of different species. Annual Report and Proceedings of the Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society 36:38-56. [1913] 124208
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1914a.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1914a. Myrmecophilous notes for 1913. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 26: 37-45 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1914b.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1914b. Three myrmecological notes. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 26: 136-138 PDF]]
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1915a. Genital armature of the male ant. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1915:l-liii. [1915-08-05] 124211
 * Donisthorpe, H. 1915b. Marriage-flights of Donisthorpea species on August 8th, etc. Entomologist's Record and Journal of Variation 27:206-207. [1915-09-15] 124212
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1915c.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1915c. The type of Camponotus (Myrmoturba) maculatus, F. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 27: 221-222.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1915d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1915d. Descriptions of a pterergate and two gynandromorphs of Myrmica scabrinodis Nyl., with a list of all the known cases of the latter. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 27: 258-260.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1915e.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1915e. Myrmica schencki Emery, an ant new to Britain. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 27: 265-266 PDF]]
 * [[Media:British ants.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1915f. British ants, their life-history and classification. Plymouth: Brendon & Son Ltd., xv + 379 pp.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1916b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1916b. Epitritus wheeleri, n. sp., an ant new to science; with notes on the genus Epitritus, Emery. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 28: 121-122.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1916d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1916d. Synonymy of some genera of ants. [part]. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 28: 241-244 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1916e.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1916e. Synonymy of some genera of ants. [concl.]. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 28: 275-277 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1917d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1917d. Dolichoderus (Hypoclinea) crawleyi n. sp., a species of ant new to science; with a few notes on the genus. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 29: 201-202.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1918a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1918a. Some notes on a paper by Dr. Leach on ants and gnats in 1825. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 30: 8-9 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1918c.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1918c. A list of ants from Mesopotamia; with a description of a new species and a new variety. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 30: 165-167 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1919a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1919a. Myrmecophilous notes for 1918. [part]. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 31: 1-5 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1920b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1920b. British Oligocene ants. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 9(6): 81-94 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1922b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1922b [1921]. The subfamilies of Formicidae. Trans. Entomol. Soc. Lond. 1921:xl-xlvi.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1926b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1926b. Ants and myrmecophiles at Bordighera. [concl.]. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 38: 17-18 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1927a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1927a. The ants (Formicidae), and some myrmecophiles, of Sicily. [concl.]. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 39: 6-9 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1927.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1927c. British ants, their life history and classification (2nd edn.). London: G. Routledge and Sons, xvi + 436 pp.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1929a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1929a. The Formicidae (Hymenoptera) taken by Major R. W. G. Hingston, M.C., I.M.S. (ret.), on the Mount Everest Expedition, 1924. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 10(4): 444-449 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1930d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1930d. A new subspecies of Acanthomyops (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Kashmir. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 10(6): 225-226 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1930f.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1930f. Cardiocondyla bicolor, sp. n. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), a species of myrmecine ant new to science. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 10(6): 366 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1931b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1931b. Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) britteni, sp. n. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), a formicine ant new to science. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 10(8): 129-131.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1931d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1931d. Descriptions of some new species of ants. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 10(8): 494-501.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1932a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1932a. A new species of Camponotus (Hym., Formicidae) from Colombia. Stylops 1: 88-89 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1932b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1932b. On the identity of some ants from Ceylon described by F. Walker. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 10(9): 574-576 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1932c.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1932c. On the identity of Smith's types of Formicidae (Hymenoptera) collected by Alfred Russell Wallace in the Malay Archipelago, with descriptions of two new species. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 10(10): 441-476 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1933a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1933a. A new species of Aphaenogaster (Hym. Formicidae) from India. Stylops 2: 24 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1933b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1933b. Descriptions of three new species of Formicidae, and a synonymical note. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 10(11): 194-198 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1933d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1933d. On a small collection of ants made by Dr. F. W. Edwards in Argentina. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 10(12): 532-538 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1935.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1935. The ants of Christmas Island. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 10(15): 629-635 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1936a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1936a. Rhopalomastix janeti (Hym. Formicidae) a species of ant new to science. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 48: 55-56 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1936b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1936b. Acropyga (Rhizomyrma) robae sp. nov. (Hym. Formicidae), a new S. American ant, with remarks on the genus, etc. Entomologist 69: 108-111.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1936c.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1936c. Strongylognathus diveri sp. n. (Hym., Formicidae), a genus and species new to the British list, with notes on the genus. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 72: 111-116 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1936d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1936d. A new study of Mesoxena mistura Smith. Proc. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 5: 119-120.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1936f.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1936f. Five new species of ant (Formicidae) from various localities. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 10(18): 524-530.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1937a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1937a. Some new forms of Formicidae and a correction. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 10(19): 619-628 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1937b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1937b. A new species of Harpegnathos Jerd., with some remarks on the genus, and other known species (Hym. Formicidae). Entomol. Mon. Mag. 73: 196-201.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1937c.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1937c. Generic names, &c., of the British Formicidae. [part]. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 49: 131-132.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1937e.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1937e. A new subgenus and three new species of Polyrhachis Smith. Entomologist 70: 273-275 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1938a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1938a. Five new species of ant, chiefly from New Guinea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(1): 140-148 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1938b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1938b. Some ants of the subgenus Planimyrma Viehmeyer of the genus Aphaenogaster Mayr. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 74: 30-32.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1938c.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1938c. The subgenus Cyrtomyrma Forel of Polyrhachis Smith, and descriptions of new species, etc. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(1): 246-267 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1938d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1938d. New species and varieties of ants from New Guinea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(1): 593-599 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Dolichoderus 1938h.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1938h. New species of ants and a new subgenus of Dolichoderus from various localities. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(2): 498-504 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1939a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1939a. The genus Lioponera Mayr (Formicidae, Cerapachyinae), with descriptions of two new species and an ergatandromorph. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(3): 252-257 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1939c.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1939c. Typhlomyrmex richardsi (Hym., Formicidae), a new species of ponerine ant from British Guiana. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 75: 161-162.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1939d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1939d. Descriptions of several species of ants (Hymenopt.) taken by Dr. O. W. Richards in British Guiana. Proc. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 8: 152-154 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1940a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1940a. Descriptions of new species of ants (Hym., Formicidae) from various localities. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(5): 39-48 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1940b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1940b. Lordomyrma infundibuli (Hym., Formicidae), a new species of ant from Dutch New Guinea. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 76: 45-47 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1940c.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1940c. Some new forms of Odontomachus (Hym., Formicidae). Entomologist 73: 106-109 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1941a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1941a. Lordomyrma niger sp. n. (Hym., Formicidae), with a key and notes on the genus. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 77: 36-38 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1941b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1941b. New ants from Waigeu Island, New Guinea, and the Solomons. Entomologist 74: 36-42.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1941c.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1941c. Descriptions of new species of ants from New Guinea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(7): 129-144 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1941d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1941d. Glanures myrmecologiques. [part]. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 53: 27-28 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1941e.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1941e. The ants of Norfolk Island. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 77: 90-93.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1941f.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1941f. Glanures myrmecologiques. [concl.]. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 53: 36-38 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1941g.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1941g. A new species of Echinopla (Hym., Formicidae), with some notes on the genus. Entomologist 74: 115-116 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1941h.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1941h. The ants of Japen Island, Dutch New Guinea (Hym., Formicidae). Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. 91: 51-64 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1941j.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1941j. A new genus and species of Formicidae (Hym.) from Papua. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 77: 175 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1941k.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1941. Descriptions of new ants (Hym., Formicidae) from various localities. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (11)8:199-210.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1941m.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1941m. Synonymical notes, etc., on Formicidae (Hym.). Entomol. Mon. Mag. 77: 237-240.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1941o.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1941o. Description of a new species of Crematogaster Lund, subgenus Physocrema Forel, with a list of, and a key to, the known species of the subgenus. Entomologist 74: 225-227 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1942a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1942a. The Formicidae (Hym.) of the Armstrong College Expedition to the Siwa Oasis. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(9): 26-33.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1942b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1942b. Descriptions of a few ants from the Philippine Islands, and a male of Polyrhachis bihamata Drury from India. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(9): 64-72.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1942c.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1942c. Myopopone wollastoni sp. n., with notes on other forms in the genus and descriptions of the males of two species (Hym., Formicidae). Entomol. Mon. Mag. 78: 29-31.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1942d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1942d. Ants from the Colombo Museum Expedition to Southern India, September-October 1938. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(9): 449-461.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1942f.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1942f. New species of ants (Hym., Formicidae) from the Gold Coast, Borneo, Celebes, New Guinea and New Hebrides. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(9): 701-709 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1942g.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1942g. A new species of Diplomorium (Hym. Formicidae), with some notes on the genus. Entomologist 75: 217-218 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1942h.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1942h. Notes on the subgenus Orthonotomyrmex Ashmead of Camponotus Mayr, and description of a new species (Hym., Formicidae). Entomol. Mon. Mag. 78: 248-251.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1942i.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1942i. Notes on the genus Pseudolasius Emery with the description of Pseudolasius karawajewi sp. n. (Hym., Formicidae). Proc. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 11: 166-169 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1943a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1943a. Descriptions of new ants, chiefly from Waigeu Island, N. Dutch New Guinea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(10): 167-176 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1943b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1943b. Ants from the Colombo Museum Expedition to Southern India, September-October, 1938. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(10): 196-208 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1943c.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1943c. Ireneidris myops gen. et sp. n. (Hym., Formicidae) from Waigeu Island, Dutch New Guinea. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 79: 81-82.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1943d.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1943d. A myrmecophilous woodlouse. Nature (Lond.) 151: 675-676 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1943e.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1943e. The ants (Hym., Formicidae) of Waigeu Island, North Dutch New Guinea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(10): 433-475 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1943f.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1943f. Myrmecological gleanings. Proc. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 12: 115-116 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1943g.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1943g. A list of the type-species of the genera and subgenera of the Formicidae. [part]. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(10): 617-688 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1943h.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1943h. A list of the type-species of the genera and subgenera of the Formicidae. [concl.]. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(10): 721-737 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1944a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1944a. Messor aegyptiacus Emery subspecies canaliculatus subsp. n. (striaticeps Santschi? (1923) nec Er. André (1883)) (Hym. Formicidae). Proc. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 13: 1-3.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1944b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1944b. Notes arising out of Mr. W. D. Hincks's review of Mr. Donisthorpe's "A list of the type-species of the genera and subgenera of the Formicidae". Entomol. Mon. Mag. 80: 59 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1944c.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1944c. A new subgenus and three new species of Polyrhachis F. Smith (Hym., Formicidae). Entomol. Mon. Mag. 80: 64-66 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1944d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1944d. Two new species of Pristomyrmex Mayr (Hym. Formicidae), with some notes on the genus. Proc. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 13: 81-84 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1944e.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1944e. A new species of Bothriomyrmex Emery (Hym. Formicidae), and some notes on the genus. Proc. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 13: 100-103.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1945a.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1945a. New and rare species of Crematogaster Lund (Hym. Formicidae) from the Gold Coast, etc. Entomologist 78: 10-11.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1945b.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1945b. A new species and a new variety of Technomyrmex Mayr (Hym., Formicidae) from New Guinea. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 81: 57-58 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1945c.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1945c. A new species of Triglyphothrix Forel (Hym., Formicidae) from Uganda with some notes on the genus. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 81: 76-77 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1945d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1945d. On a small collection of ants (Hym., Formicidae) from West Africa, associated with Coccidae. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(12): 265-273.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1946b.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1946b. Formicidae, Stephens (1829). Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 58: 89-91.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1946c.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1946c. A new subspecies of Messor Forel, and a new variety of Aphaenogaster Mayr (Hym. Formicidae) from Turkey. Proc. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 15: 53-54 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1946d.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1946d. Undescribed forms of Camponotus (Colobopsis) vitiensis from the Fiji Islands (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Proc. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 15: 69-70.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1946g.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1946g [1945]. New species of ants (Hym. Formicidae) from the Island of Mauritius. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(12): 776-782.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1946h.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1946h. Ireneopone gibber (Hym., Formicidae), a new genus and species of myrmicine ant from Mauritius. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 82: 242-243.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1946i.pdf| Donisthorpe, H. 1946i. The ants (Hym. Formicidae) of Mauritius. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(13): 25-35 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1946j.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1946j. A new genus and species of Formicidae (Hym.) from Mauritius. Proc. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 15: 145-147 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1947a.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1947a [1946]. New species of ants from China and Mauritius. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(13): 283-286 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1947b.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1947b. Pheidole (Pheidolacanthinus) striatus sp. n. from New Guinea, with notes on the subgenus Pheidolacanthinus F. Smith (Hym., Formicidae). Entomol. Mon. Mag. 83: 172-174 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1947c.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1947c [1946]. Ants from New Guinea, including new species and a new genus. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(13): 577-595 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1947d.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1947d. The Formicidae of the Channel Islands. Entomologist 80:180-182.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1947e.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1947e. Some new ants from New Guinea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(14): 183-197 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1947f.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1947f. Results of the Armstrong College Expedition to Siwa Oasis (Libyan Desert), 1935: A second list of the Formicidae (Hymenoptera). Bull. Soc. Fouad Ier Entomol. 31: 109-111.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1948a.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1948a [1947]. Liomyrmex reneae sp. n. (Hym., Formicidae) with a list of the species and some notes on the genus Liomyrmex Mayr. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 83: 293-294 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1948b.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1948b [1947]. A second instalment of the Ross Collection of ants from New Guinea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(14): 297-317 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1948c.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1948c. A new genus and species of ant from New Britain. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 60: 65-66 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1948d.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1948d. A third instalment of the Ross Collection of ants from New Guinea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 11(14): 589-604 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1948e.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1948e. A new species of Colobopsis (Hym., Formicidae) from New Guinea with a few notes on the subgenus. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 84: 121-122.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1948f.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1948f. Microbolbos testaceus, a new genus and species of ponerine ant. Entomologist 81: 170-171.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1948g.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1948g. A fourth instalment of the Ross Collection of ants from New Guinea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 12(1): 131-143.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1948h.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1948h. A redescription of the types of Strumigenys mandibularis F. Smith, and Cephaloxys capitata F. Smith. Psyche (Camb.) 55: 78-81.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1949a.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1949a [1948]. A new genus and species of dacetine ant (Hym., Formicidae) from New Guinea. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 84: 281.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1949b.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1949b [1948]. A fifth instalment of the Ross Collection of ants from New Guinea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 12(1): 487-506 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1949c.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1949c [1948]. A sixth instalment of the Ross Collection of ants from New Guinea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 12(1): 744-759 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1949e.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1949e. Lordomyrma bensoni (Hym., Formicidae), a species of ant new to science from New Guinea. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 85: 94 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1949f.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1949f. A new Camponotus from Madagascar and a small collection of ants from Mauritius. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 12(2): 271-275 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1949g.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1949g. A species of Calyptomyrmex Emery (Hym., Formicidae) from New Guinea. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 85: 186 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1949h.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1949h. A seventh instalment of the Ross Collection of ants from New Guinea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 12(2): 401-422.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1950a.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1950a. An eighth instalment of the Ross Collection of ants from New Guinea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 12(3): 338-341.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1950b.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1950b. Two new species of ants from Turkey. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 62: 60-61.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1950c.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1950c. Two more new ants from Turkey. Entomol. Rec. J. Var. 62: 68-69 PDF]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1950d.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1950d. Two new species of ants, and a few others from Turkey. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 12(3): 638-640.]]
 * [[Media:Donisthorpe 1950e.pdf|Donisthorpe, H. 1950e. A first instalment of the ants of Turkey. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 3(3): 1057-1067 PDF]]

REFERENCE

 * P. Gilbert. 2005. The Entomological Club and Verrall Supper. A History (1826-2004), 81pp. London. p. 37-38, portrait.