Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-26
Man of Remarkable Gifts.

10 expected the remains will be brought
to his late residence in this city, No. II26
n street northwest.
Man of Remarkable Gifts.
LIZ Coues was man of remarkable gifts
and his brilliant versatility was a source
OF surprise even to those who knew him
we'll He stood without doubt at the head
of the ornithologists of this country. and
his key to North American birds, which
was published in 1879. is regarded as au-
thority on that subject 1t has gone
tnrouSh several editions, and at the time of
MS death ne was engaged in bringing out
new edition. 1t may be mentioned as
Iathcr an unusual feature of scientific
books that this work was source of
steady income to the author
Having attained eminence as naural
ISL some ten years ago he turned his at
tentlon to historical work, and in this do
main performed valuable service in MAX
ing available much material that was still
IN manuscript AT the same time he did
not lose his interest in scientific s,,hiects
and he found time to write for the periodt
cal press, contributed book reviews for
the Nation, and was one of the editors of
the century Dictionary and, in connection
with Dr. Theodore Gill, UP to a few wears
ago was the editor of the Osprey, journal
devoted to ornithology.
He devoted good deal Of time and study
10 the science of Cccultism, and as a result
became interested in. theosophy and was
looked upon rs the head of the society In
this country. A couple of years ago, how
ever, he withdrew from the orgonization
and had no further connection with that
cult. He had enormous capacity for work
and facility for economizing his time. so
that he was able to do a great MANY things
and to do them well.
He was a great reader and could con
verse entertainingly and with knowledge
on almost any topic. 1t was a constant
cause OF wonder to those who came in CON
tact with him that he knew so much and
knew 1t SO thOrouRhly
sketch of His Career.
DR.. Coues was born in Portsmouth, N.
H, September 0, 1912, and was graduated
from the Columbian University in this citv
in the year 1861. A year later he entered
the United States army as medical cadet
and In 1864 was made assistant surgeon,
which rank he retained until his resigna-
ton, November II, 1881. He had received
the breVet Of captain for meritorious ser
wees during the war, and in 1865 was post
surgeon at Charleston, S. C. He was elect
ed professor Of zoology and comparative
anatomy at Norwich University VT, in
1863, and from 1873 to 1873 was surgeon
ana naturalist to the United States north
ern boundary commission. In 1875 he was
collaboration at the Smithsonian Institution.
From 1876 until 1880 he was secretary and
naturalist to the United States geological
and geographical survey of the territories
and in 1877 became professor of anatomy
in the National Medical College. Suisse
quent to his resignation in 1888 he was ap-
pointed professor of biology in the Vir-
ginia Agricultural and Mechanical College.
He was member of the National Academy
of Sciences, having been elected in the year
1877, and was member of many scientific
societies in this country and in Europe. He
became prominently identified with the
theosophist movement in this country and
was a member of the general council and
president of the American board of control
of the TheoSophical Society of India.
He was VoluuliQOuS writer and car-
tributed largely to scientific periodicals
He was also the author Of several hundred
titic periodical press. Among his important
works, besides the key to North American
Birds Boston, 1872, are Field ORTHODOXY
(saiem, 1870, Birds of the Northwest Dos
Monographs of North America Rodentin,
with ]. A. Allen washington, 1870; Birds
of the Colorado Valley gs7sl: Ornitholog-
zeal photography QS5s- sos New England
Bird Life, with r. 2. c. Stearns GssD;
Check List and Dictiopary of North Amer.
lean Birds (Boston, 1882: Air Fauna, Co.
gin, speculation on the origin and nature
Of life boston, 1880; New Key to North
American nn Biz Birds dss4f ana the Daemon Of
Devoted to Research.
AS stated above. practically the last de-
cade of his life had been devoted to his.
torical research. In 1893 he brought out a
new edition of the journals Of the Lewis
and Clark expedition, which was sent out
under the direction of President Jefferson.
and traversed the western part of the coun
try as far as the Columbia river, in Ore
gon. DR.. Coues supplied exhaustive notes
and for the first time traced exactly the
route of that important expedition Two
years later he brought out the new edition
of the expedition of Gen. Zebulon NJ Pike.
who, in 1905. went to the headquarters of
the Mississippi river and thence south
Dr. Coues then began the publication of
what was called the American Explorer
series, the first volume being the Journal of
a fur trader in the upper Missouri and the
second volume journal of another fur
trader, both of which up to that time had
been in manuscript At the time of his
| death he had In type and ready for publica-
| the preface. the diary of Father Cares. a
missionary in Arizona. who. In l775-76