394 Palmer, In Memoriam: Theodore Nicholas Gill. [bet. 



was transferred to the Library of Congress he acted as assistant 

 librarian in the Library of Congress from 1866-75. This decade 

 devoted to constant work with scientific books was invaluable in 

 enabling him to familiarize himself with the literature of zoology. 

 With his wonderfully retentive memory he stowed away many a 

 fact and many a title which in after years he had occasion to use 

 in the preparation of his papers. Apparently he never forgot a 

 book which he had once handled and long afterward he could assert 

 with confidence that a certain volume was in the Library of Con- 

 gress, although he might not have seen it for many years. 



At the first meeting of the American Ornithologists' LTnion held 

 in New York on September 26, 1883, Doctor Gill was elected an 

 Active Member and remained in the list for thirty years. In 1913, 

 only a year prior to his death, he was transferred to the recently 

 established class of Retired Fellows, and his was the first name to 

 be enrolled in the list of Deceased Retired Fellows. He seldom 

 attended meetings of the L'nion outside of Washington, but he was 

 present at most if not all of those held at the National Capital. 

 He seriously considered attending the special meeting in San 

 Francisco in 1903 but finally abandoned the plan, although he 

 had long been desirous of visiting the west coast. He frequently 

 took part in the discussion of the more general topics but appar- 

 ently contributed only one formal paper — entitled 'The Generic 

 Names Pediocsetes and Poocaetes'. 1 He held no offices during 

 his long connection with the Union but rendered valuable aid to 

 the Committee on nomenclature at various times. His name does 

 not appear in the list of those who assisted in the preparation of 

 the original Code and Check-List of 1886, but the obligation of the 

 committee is attested in a special note published in Science. 2 When 

 the subject of the revision of the Code was considered at the meet- 

 ing held in 1905, he was appointed one of the seven members to 

 whom the task was delegated. 



Gill was a member of many other scientific societies and was a 

 regular attendant at their meetings in Washington or in nearby 

 cities. He was elected a member of the American Association for 



i Auk, XVI, pp. 20-23, 1899. 

 2 VH, p. 374, Apr. 23, 1886. 



