° 1915 J Palmer, In, Memoriam: Theodore Nicholas Gill. 393 



Columbian College and Ridgway, a boy not yet in his teens, was 

 living at his home in Illinois and had not actively entered the field 

 of ornithology. 



Gill became associated almost immediately with Columbian 

 College, afterward Columbian University, and now George Wash- 

 ington University, a connection which he maintained until his death. 

 In 1860-61 he was adjunct professor of physics and natural history, 

 in 1864-66 and 1873-84, lecturer on natural history, from 1884-1910 

 professor of zoology, and during the last four years of his life pro- 

 fessor emeritus. His classes were not large but he always main- 

 tained his interest in the zoological department and especially in 

 the graduate work. His services were appreciated by the Uni- 

 versity which bestowed upon him at various times four honorary 

 degrees: A.M. in 1865, M.D. in 1866, Ph.D. in 1870, and the highest 

 doctorate, LL.D. in 1895. 



Whether Coues and Gill were officially associated in the early 

 days is uncertain. Dr. D. G. Elliott records that about this time 

 "when on a visit to Professor Baird in Washington, one evening, 

 in company with my old friend Doctor Gill, I first met Elliott 

 Coues," ' indicating that Gill knew Coues and introduced Elliott to 

 him. Coues was actively interested in birds at this time and had 

 just published his "Monograph of the Tringre of North America" 

 which he later described as the " maiden effort of a very youthful 

 author." He was also busy with D. W. Prentiss in preparing 'A 

 List of the Birds of the District of Columbia' which appeared in 

 1862. Coues took his bachelor's degree at Columbian College in 

 1861, graduated in medicine and received his commission as Acting 

 Assistant Surgeon in the Army in 1863, and in the following March 

 was detailed as Assistant Surgeon to Fort Whipple, Arizona. He 

 was absent from Washington at various military posts for some 

 years, and it was not until the late seventies or early eighties that 

 he and Gill became associated in the first of their joint zoological 

 publications. 



Through the assistance of Professor Baird Gill received an ap- 

 pointment in the library of the Smithsonian Institution. In 1865- 

 66 he served as librarian and when the library of the Smithsonian 



i D. G. Elliott, In Memoriam Elliott Coues, Auk, XVIII, p. 5, 1901. 



