Dall was indeed knowledgeable in many fields as a look at his bibliography
(1,607 items) will show.  That he was a great malacologist/paleontologist is
not in dispute, but few people are aware that he also had a "down side."
When the Commission was debating on whether or not to accept Röding's work
(which upset many Lamarck names in wide usage) Dall wrote the Commission
that "Bolten's [=Röding's] names have been accepted by all first class
workers in conchology, and I know of only one man, a German, who objects to
them."  This was despite the fact that Pilsbry had written the Commision
opposing acceptance.

European workers were not reluctant to question some of Dall's actions.  In
one instance, in a review of a Dall paper, Dollfus called Dall's actions
"déplorable subterfuge."  In that particular case it was an appropriate
expression.

Dall had a great knowledge of the old literature and the library in the
Mollusk Department of the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian
Institution) is called "The Dall Library."

dick petit

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