James Gushing Merrill. 

 1853-1902. 



Dr. James Gushing Merrill, a member of the Washington 

 Academy of Sciences, died at his home in Washington, D. C., 

 on October 27, 1902. 



Dr. Merrill was born March 26, 1853, at Cambridge, Mass., 

 where, associated with congenial companions, he learned to 

 love the birds and all nature and laid the foundation of a 

 knowledge of ornithology which in later years brought him to 

 prominence in this field of work. His preliminar}'' studies were 

 carried on at Cambridge but later he went to Germany to com- 

 plete his education in the schools of that country. 



In 1874 ^^ graduated in medicine from the University of 

 Pennsylvania and the following year was appointed assistant 

 surgeon in the U. S. Army. On March 13, 1894, he was made 

 Surgeon with the rank of Major. As medical officer he was 

 stationed at various army posts throughout the country, and 

 when unoccupied by official duties was able to make valuable 

 natural history collections. He was an enthusiastic sports- 

 man and the wild surroundings of many of his posts gave him 

 much opportunity for the enjoyment of the pursuit of big game. 

 While stationed at Fort Brown, Texas, from 1876 to 1879, ^^ 

 was able to add very materially to our knowledge of the orni- 

 thology of that region, and was the first to record the existence 

 of certain Tamaulipan species within our borders. Among his 

 more noteworthy ornithological papers may be mentioned : 

 •' Notes on the Ornithology of Southern Texas," " Notes on the 

 Birds of Fort Klamath, Oregon," and " Notes of the Birds of 

 Fort Sherman, Idaho." 



Doctor Merrill was a member of numerous scientific societies 

 and clubs, the more important of which are as follows : Ameri- 

 can Ornithologists' Union, Washington Academy of Sciences, 

 Boston Society of Natural History, Nuttall Ornithological Club, 

 Linnaean Society of New York, Biological Society of Wash- 

 ington, Association of Military Surgeons, Association of Medi- 



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