144 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March, '13 



Franklin A. Merrick. 



Mr. Franklin A. Merrick, of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, 

 died at 11.55 P. M., December 16, 1912. He was a life-long 

 resident of New Brighton, where he was born January 17, 

 1845. After leaving public school in 1860, he entered the car 

 works of Merrick, Hanna & Company until the summer of 

 1862, when he enlisted in Hampton's Independent Battery F, 

 Pennsylvania Light Artillery. He was commissioned a lieu- 

 tenant in the battery and served till July 26, 1865, when he 

 was honorably discharged with his company. During 1866 he 

 took a course in Smith's Business College, Pittsburg, after 

 which he engaged in the foundry and plumbing business until 

 1896, when he retired from active work. 



With the purchase of a small collection from Mr. Glasser 

 he entered the study of entomology and devoted his leisure 

 time to the collecting of Lepidoptera, in which pursuit he was 

 assisted by his son, the late Harry D. Merrick. By industrious 

 work during day time and the use of trap lights in a forest, a 

 very interesting collection was accumulated and a number of 

 species new to science were discovered. "Progress and Im- 

 provement" were our late friend's motto, and he showed this 

 inclination even in the pursuit of his hobby by designing and 

 inventing his trap lights, a collecting jar for high-resting moths 

 and later a much improved apparatus for inflating larvae. 



Mr. Merrick enjoyed an extensive correspondence and found 

 much pleasure in filling several boxes from his duplicate stock 

 and sending them to his friends. The death of his son proved 

 a shock to him from which he never fully rallied, and Bright's 

 disease undermined his health. For several years he spent the 

 winter in Florida, but gained no permanent relief. Mr. Mer- 

 rick was united in marriage with Laura Jane Duncan, of 

 Fallston, Pa., who survives him. 



Mr. Merrick disposed of his collection last year to Dr. Wm. 



Barnes. 



HENRY ENGEL. 



MR. L. E. RKKSECKER, well-known collector of California 

 insects, died in San Diego in that State, January 30, 1913. 



