Vol. XXXl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NE\VS 29 



Obituary 



GEORGE BRINGHURST CRESSON, son of Ezra Townsend 

 Cresson and the late Mary A. (Ridings) Cresson, died at his 

 home in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, on October 18, 1919. 

 He was born in Philadelphia, November 15, 1859, and at- 

 tended public and private schools in that city. It is natural 

 to think that an inherited tendency from his father, the well- 

 known pioneer in American hymenopterology, and from his 

 maternal grandfather, James Ridings, collector of insects, 

 as well as home environment, led him to become conservator 

 of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences of Philadelphia in 1 880-81 and 1886-89, an d Curator 

 of the American Entomological Society in 1888-89. From 

 1883 to 1886 he printed volumes XI-XIII of the Society's 

 Transactions. It was during his custodianship that the 

 writer of these lines, then a high school boy, first made ac- 

 quaintance with the library and study collections of the 

 Academy. I had gathered various insects, but was more 

 particularly devoted to butterflies, of which, in 1886, I was 

 making colored drawings. Mr. George Cresson found me 

 delving into the entomological books and my diary for De- 

 cember 18, 1886, records: "Mr. Cresson of the Academy of 

 Nat. Sci. first began to aid me, about this time." I recall 

 distinctly that he told me that so many were interested in 

 Lepidoptera and Coleoptera that I could do more and find 

 more new things if I studied some other group of insects. 

 I had a few dragonflies and the effect of his advice is to be 

 seen from another note in my diary: "Jan. 28, 1887. About 

 this time I commenced the study of the Neuroptera." 



While he was interested in natural history in general, he 

 \\.is especially concerned with ants and formed a represent, i- 

 tive collection, secured through exchange with prominent 

 Europeans, such as Professors Emery, Forel and others. Re- 

 appears never to have published on entomology. 



After leaving the entomological custodianship in 1889, 

 he engaged in the insurance business and was for main 

 years with the Franklin Fire Insurance Company of Phila- 



