The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-10-20
HAS SPENT HIS LIFE
IN STUDY OF INSECTS
History of Veteran Entomol-
ogist at Washington Is
Full of Interest.

Entomology is defined by the dictona ry
as "that pert OF zoology which treats OF
insects" The high school boy refers TO
ii as 'busology" but the United states
government thinks so seriously OF the
value OF this science that II maintains
whole army Of entomoogists The de-
partment of agriculture-under which en-
tomoogical work comeS-is represented
locally by George /. Reeves and he is
perhaps one OF the busiest men In the
local government offices.
Mr. Reeves Is enthusiastic over hls
work and can tell the good and oao
qualities Of insects the size OF pinhead
as easily as a stockgrower could pick
out good horse. But that there Is ro,,
nance connected with entomology as weiI
as any other profession Is deuonstra tea
gande. Mr.. Reeves delights In telling
this story whenever anyone suggests that
the study OF bugs is prosaic,
Theodore Pergande is now the Oldest
entomologist in the service of the gov
crnment and when Mr. Reeves last vis-
ltcd Washington, ID. c., and attended a
meeting of the Entomology society OF
Washington, the veteran was still there
and as interested In his work as ever
The story OF how he came to be an ex-
pert insect dissector and an American
antedates the civil war.
Mr.. Pergande is native OF Essen,
Germany. When boy he entered the
works of the krupp Gun company and
pa rents decided he should marry. and,
while he had no particular wish to take
a wife. they selected one for him In ac-
cordnnce with the German. custom, and
young Pergande acuuesced In the de,
cision. The girls parents also attempted
TO force their daughter TO get married
and as a result when the Young people
they learned that neither WAS In love
with the other The girl explained tha I
she loved q swain OF the town and that
unless Pergande left the field, their par
Ing of nothing else to do, Pergande took
his savings and ran away to America.
1t was this engagement however. that
made the young man an entomologist-
1t was the custom for engaged young cou-
pies to take long afternoon walks to
gether. The engagement had lasted al
courage to run away. During this time.
the girl devoted her share OF the sup
posed walks TO meeting her real lover.
while Pergande collected various kinds Of
bugs and studied their habits.
When Pergande arrived in America he
first went to work as nachinist. Later
the war broke out and he enlisted. as
did the other men in the shop. While In
available minute TO study insects and
soon secured a reputation as the bug
man" When the army went into Mis-
souri,, Q. V, Riley, who afterward became
the first United States entomologtst, was
state entomologist OF Missouri. He had
been drafted into the army and when
he heard that Pergande was interested
in insects ne formed his acquaintance,
and after they We're mustered out gave
Pergande, n position as assistant
After the death OF Riley, Perga nde be-
came chief and for many years was an
authority on bugs He is now an old
man and does little active work, but
every eDtomologist In the country speaks
his name with reverence and tells bud
ding members Of the profession the story
which Mr.. Reeves relates.