Charles Valentine Riley. Founder of modern entomology

• Jorge M. González

Abstract

The Joint Commission of the Scientific Societies of Washington had its Annual Meeting on January 18, 1896, just a few months after the unexpected death of Charles Valentine Riley (C.V. Riley). The event started with a memorial lecture in appreciation of the gifted polyglot, artist, poet, writer, philosopher, naturalist, inventor, politician, teacher, and scientist. “The name of Charles Valentine Riley is known in every part of the world where there are naturalists or intelligent agriculturists” was the first sentence pronounced (Brown Goode, 1896).

References

Brown Goode, G. 1896. A memorial appreciation of Charles Valentine Riley. Science 3(59): 217-225.

Essig, E.O. 1931. A History of Entomology. New York: The Mac- Millan Company. 1029 pp.

Mallis, A. 1971. American Entomologists. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. 549 pp.

Packard, A.S. Charles Valentine Riley. Science 2: 745-751. Sorensen, W.C. 1995. Brethren of the Net: American Entomology, 1840-1880. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press. 376 pp.