The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-12-14
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THE AGASSIZ EXPEDITION.

Ahport"ht Scien'inc Discovertes-Stxty
New SpeciesoT Fish In tho Amazon
Letters from DR.. COutinho and ProfeE-
sOr AgassiZ.
GFrom the New York Post of Frdayl
Through the courtesy Of the Brazil-
ian Legati' we have received let
ters from DR.. Coutinho, of Brazil, and
Professor Agassiz, published at Rio
Janeiro in October, giving brief ac-
counts of some wonderful scientific
discoveries by the Agassiz expedition
on the Amazon. DR., Coutinho, we
learn, was appointed by the Emperor
of Brazil to accompany Professor Ag-
aSsiz, on account. not only Of his own
scientific requirements, but because he
had already made an exploration of
the Amazon. DR.. Coutinho writes,
under date Of August %, as follows:
"The Professor does not cease extoll-
ing the riches of this region, and is
completely absorbed by his darling
fishes. We collected in Gurupa and
Tagipuru ten new species, and like
wise new species of alligator, named
Jacareky. He told me o.day that
when the work is concluded we will
make real revolution in the scientific
world. Almost sixty new species in
less tnan fourteen days. II Is really q
revolution.
The great preparations that the
Professor made for his collections are
far within what nature furnishes him
such is the prodigality of life in the
valley Of the Amazonas. Allis super
abundant, ard there is luXuriance
of products so extraordinary that it
exceeds the most extravagant dreams
that the man of. science formed when
he prepared for his voyage"
LETTER FROM PROFESSOR AGAssiz.
Professor Agassiz himself wrote on
the Goth of August as follows: .,
"The result'of our inquiries above
all respecting fish, goes beyond the most
ertravagant dro: ms Ierer had. Not on
ly do l know that all the locations we
visit nourish different funnas, but |
foresee also that the intermediate To-
calities will furnish still new and dis
tinct species, so great are tho differ
ences of those VIC have already stud
led. ...'. ...
II had in view to solve the problem
of the geographical distribution Of the
fishes, by making four or five separate
collections between Para and Manaos,
but now l know not what limits we
should preserve. so that it is best to
multiply the collections as far as cir
cumstances will permit"
In another letter Of the same date
he says: .. ..-- .....
at is equally interesting to discov-
er the manner of inter- association of
the species; it is evident, for example,
that the fishes assembled at Para are
not the same as those united at Ma
naos or in the great affiuents Of the
Amazonas. have already certain
ty of this from the collection / made
at Para. During the eight days spent
in your hospitablc city, where 80 ma
ny courtesies and such delicate atten-
tions were showered on me, collected
sixty-threc species of fishes. OF this
number merely dozen are known;
and, notwithstanding, about forly.fve
species arc already described as pecu-
liar to the Amazon. Consequently
those that are known which l did Eot
discover at Para, must dwell in some
other region Of the great river. Ycu
see now that the work merely Of two
days tends to demonstrate that each
region Of this great basin must have
collections Of different species fact
that science was completely ignorant
of until now. .. .J.. u.st
"Besides, if the species, of different
regions differ one from the other in
the same river, and if marine fishes
ascend the river in limited number
TO an inconsderable distance from the
sea, shortly it will become improbable
that the fluvial species can proceed
from the marine species, above all if
the different shoals are found in simi-
lar regions Of tho river and at short
distance from ono another. ' a- a.
"Woll, you see what results this
ought to givein lime; and, IN the mean
time, / can only indicate the track that
/ count on following in my researches
All I can as yet say to you is, that O.!
the sixty-throe species found at Para,