Vol. xxx1| ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 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, I9I9. 
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 1880-81 and 1886—89, and 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 
Was especially concerned with ants and formed a representa- 
tive collection, secured through exchange with prominent 
Europeans, such as Professors Emery, Forel and others. He 
appears never to have published on entomology. 
After leaving the entomological custodianship in 1889, 
he engaged in the insurance business and was for many 
years with the Franklin Fire Insurance Company of Phila- 
