New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-11
THE HASSLER EXPEDITION.
nporrssoR AGAssIz pROpHEsIES.

pporrssoR AGASSIZ PROPHESIES.
,nrn,croN AZ TO THE PLACE IN NATURAL
HISTORY AND SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS OF
THE ANIMALS, AS YET UNKNOWN, To BE
FOUND IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC
The day before the Hassler started on her
VOYAGE of discovery Prof. Agassis addressed to Prof
perce Superintendent Of the Coast Survey the follow
,ns ,.ttcr Of which copy was furnished to THE TRI-
suSx in advance Of its publication by the Museum Of
Natural History at Cambridge.
CAMBRIDGE. Mass. Dec. ?. 1871.
Ny DEAF FRIEND: On the point OF starting for the
IccpSra Dredging Expedition, for which you have so
fully provided and which trust may prove to be one OF
Coast Survey, am DESTROYS to leave in your hands
document which may be very compromising for me- bnt
showing within what limits Natural History has nd:
vancci toward that point Of maturity when science may
anticipate the discovery OF facts. 49,, ooo~a,ro
to which the afnities animals and the order OF
snin. ard il that plan is reflected in the mode OF
d hs hs WsTd s
work OF Intelligence. and not merely the product OF force
should 50 chime with it, that from what is known, II
may reach inc and II ths be 40 tine am n 9.
which the impcrfectou Of our knowledge ren-
dcrs ursv"daN be shicien! to forete what we are
winch thus far nothing has been secured -. -,o.,.
upn Which base my my statement beyond what is sux
g>ed in the few words preceding namely that there lisa
pcaiion structure their order of succession in
Z, olo:;c;i times their mode OF development from the
Of the rloDe If that be so and i the sh%a world de-
stoned rom the BEGINNING has been nth the mo
s'ohe has undcrcohe, and if. as also believe to be
the case. thcs" changes have not been the cause
the al, crsv Observed among organized beings,
tan expect from tuc greater ceph of the ocean
wr., r,nnrn, in earlier geological periods or bear
closer resemblance to younger stages OF the higher
wlioh t,Nr their place nowadays. And to leave no
d@h, THAI have distinct perception of what may
ice .,e very nature Of these animals that among
Sca,ma,e neither Minmqa nor BIRD BIRDS can an sS, in
he ch ave related TO the extinct types OF the Jurassic
Svr q hc,e ihcr" very little proSa6ity that any
of Their representatives still alive. Among the fishes
however, expect 10 discover some marine representa-
the order Of Ganoid OF both the principal types
hrowniron The secondary geological period such rs Lep
GSricr. speces may even be looked for Among
new OF ,n or
closely to Odontasps also look forward to find
WITH E,ds:ns perhaps also Jnrassc-ikc forms Among
ChmTrnidS We may expect some new genera more
~ % now , vnS ~ Among ordinary fishes take it for
sr'nel tmat b. genera may be added to our list APP
prIachns perhaps Acanus. or rather SphenOcephaus;
ais" Ups allied to Isticus, to Anenchelum. and to Os
& on ana Of an sses Of an the s%a
lin which have bcen very rarely met with by fish
water. IN which neither hooks nor nets are generally
lowered $otlng is kncwn c9ncrrnrs the Greatest
to- obtain positive data.
me Moil;Sks will no doubt. afford rich harvest of
novelties. among which some may be of the deepest
"loci Al interest. II stands 10 that variety of
Niiloih Crphaopods may be discovered when Nautilus
proper and sirua rarely found alive, and
new form, There may be those COMBINING characters
ven. he coEed up like Turliles. Bclemntc
>luds world appear natural Among li Gasteropods
,rntativcS Of Aclconela, Avclana, and the like for
na rolaos OF the trtilry and cretaceous types for
Eisc,ll.s. even Tor Ncrneas, and more particularly
;or fcrias intermediate between Firua and Cypred.
Among Accpaaa would expect avsrety OF Myacca APP
of AT
!sily from the Jurassc and cretaceous formations,
Myop,i~' eic with Panorpa and PhSladomya. and
incrs recarg perhaps also cardnia Glesslya or Car,
wing ~pcies PERHAPS leading to OPS or Trisonae of
asn Ptne Tan MaaS sna
foidonil. RLd%es should ,aAe tne place of oysters,
Among Crrstacea it is natural suppose that genera
nav be discovered reminding us of Eryon Of Penn
,ng s closely TriioDtSs than seres o or
d order dAf of 'S%y 1o o S f
term. is Wen kucw that ii perhap, still more
ranch Of the animal kingdom han any other. Iexpect
rona@rr AuanenSs spU or MesapopnSs
and oih-is akin to DISASTER Echinolamps approachlg
s;nisIa and cavssra WIN Glypsu INK species,
Among s.arhes The types Of Goniaser and Ludia
is%nli,s' Of Ps@sre%ltes, MarsqRltes Psnta;
r ". ai.iies Of Micpora will probably receive add
nd ra 5eV with one anoilt o and With the
Nr.l.i'.>. WAY be xpegted II, the shape OF branching
i!., nnun the dcepsca corals before 1t would be
Ser rrcr'cto sly ANYTHING concerning the PROSPECT
81 .,.c'yrring new representatives, OF this Or that
iy7... .i.> ;..'le, point them out already
jr ,.J"ct Of great interes; likely tn he elu-
,i,te, , ur inv, tiOn-the contrast of the deep
Ia az. Of IN" northern with those of the southern
h,ii,crc. TAGGING from what Australia has already
iipI. ~ We may expect fluid that the animal world
II he ~G,.":. htlsHerc has more antique clarac;
with E.Ioir. ,ic ground Of the occurrence in the
i.ci >a'c, Of animals and plant. now living here tue,
i,y-s Of which are only found fossil in Europe.
\ Jew more woIdS upon another subject. During the
decades Of This century, the scientific world
ncycd LAT tL erTAtc iders which form 50 Iromi
trail,I.td ny currents arinng from the rupture Of
nr e stated iroll the north by earthquake wavr>
phcr. irst started the idea that within the valleys
wari by slI'ic aud swiss biologists, Venetz and
rmrn;iii': foremost ;Inons them very soo1 proved
rtina.nrd co:lned TO TIE vicinity OF the Alps III
il. aprlca,oa until suggested that the pheiomc-
nou nir:i rave IA cosl::c Importance, which was
proved when discovered i'll ls4o unnis taxable of
rrcirr> in scotland. England. and Ireland. in regions
whirh could have had connection whatever with the
elevation o; Alps Since that time the gaciGi period
considered by ceolosists IA liked fact what
ever maj the discrepancies among them
the ext az these continental masses Of lee then origin
and thr'r mode o. acton. lin, ~, o.,,,.,o. ,a,,,
possibe doubt that the greater
Change in the physical CONDITION Of our globe. All the
pnenoncna related 10 the glacial period must be found
i,tc fcatrrcr III the north, with this essential
difference. that everything must be reversed
the south northward; the side abraded rocks must
lie ~ north side OF nils and mountain ranges and The
lying 10 the south or their present posi-
Vr 1i been asrcr,ned by direct Observation aaS moi
Npcct To throughout the temperate and cold
tom u the pr, sent glaciers Of del Fuego aud Pa,a
COMA. which may naye transported powders in every
afr@ni Eds crmnaed btSeen local Sac yfs