New-York tribune., 1873-12-15

in oeoIogic eras Of vast ice sheet when
sor.cread the continents and left it's records in the
rocks the theory has become accepted facs WIN
r,c.t men of science and has formed the basis OF ne"
accessons to knowledge of still greater impor'"noo'
In 1880 40 Prof Agassiz published his work on tne
Fresh Water Fishes, followed by the Nome"o'a'"
goSlocc,u which was an index Of names ana cihssi
fcstion for the entire animal kngdon' accompanied
by the Bibliotheca Zo6loSg et Geooe'o, containing
LIST of authors mentioned in the former WORK. anu
oo,;cos Of their writings. To this day the Nomen-
r,tor remains as standard work Of reference inds-
nnsab,c in every scientific library. Eudes sur les
= cloocs published about this time, foreshadowed
tho greater work Of 1917, the Systems Giaciere
BEFORE he left Europe he had expressed very clearly
,he views which he never afterward abandoned on
,,e subject of the creation of animal life. AS
,bese views were set forth in detail in his
lectures last Winter, it is not necessary here
80 GO into detail concerning them. HIS I'M
compromising hostility to the doctrine OF evo-
luton never lost an opportunity for express
son. and his reputation as an ichthyologist and
as the father of the glacial theory, was scarcely
greater than as the bitter foe of Darwinism.
In 1916 Prof. Agassiz came to this country, and
shortly afterward identified himself with its scien-
tfc interests by assisting in the abof of the Coast
Survey. The next year he accepted the chair of 20
. ology and geology at Harvard, and thenceforth
spoke of himself, and proud to be considered as
an American. He made series of scientific expe-
ditons in subsequent years. along the coast and TO
different localities the lakes and rivers and among
the mountains of the United States, and his sue
cess as lecturer at intervals in our great cities
gave an impulse TO science in this country which 1t
had never before received His expeditions to Lake
Superior in 1913. and TO the Florida reefs in 1850,
produced most valuable results. a Boston merchant
IN 1865 betrayed the expenses of the celebrated eX
pedition to the Amazon region, in the course of
which he assembled that great river to the frontiers
Of Peru. 1t was upon this expedition that Prof.
Agassiz saw and described the celebrated walking
fsh'-a fish which at certain seasons uses GER
tain spnous fms as legs and actually walks
up the river bank, dryshod. An immense
Quantity of valuable specimens for the museum at
Cambridge, and large accessions TO geological
knowledge accrued from this expedition. The mar
1ative OF the voyage of the Hassler around Cape
Born, 1912, was rendered familiar to TRIBUNE
readers by copious correspondence This expedition
also assisted largely both by the collections made
sud The interest excited in building up the
institutions which were under his charge. The
chief of these, the Museum Of Comparative Anatomy
at Cambridge. is in its specialtes the most eXten
sive institution of the kind in the country
and Prof. Agassiz himself has frequently de-
clared that in very many particulars it Is
far ahead of anything in Europe. On
1is return from the Hassler expedition in
ashe latter part of the Summer of 1872 the City of
san Francisco gave him public reception. In an
address which he delivered before the California
Academy of Sciences on that occasion. he took high
grounds concerning the need and value of scientific
training and research. setting forth not only the
need of the State of educated and practiced corps
of Investigators for the sake of her material
advancement. but insisting that the welfare of
society, and the morals and religion Of the people,
were dependent upon tue progress and direction Of
scientific study.
IrrT'e can but name few OF the honors which were
ehowered upon him by scientific institutions and
learned societies The Edlngburgh and Dublin
Universities conferred their degrees Of Ii. D. upon
him. He was made Professor of Zoology and Geology
at Cambridge in the scientific school founded by
Mr.. Abbot Lawrence, Professor of Compare
t.ye Anatomy in the Medical College of
charleston, S. c. and nonresident Professor
in Cornell University in this State. He
was a member of the French Academy of Sci
ences: of the Royal Society of London, and of our
own National Academy of Sciences; he held the
Tonthyon prize and the Cuvier prize from the Paris
Academy; the Wollaston medal from the Geologi-
cal Society of London and the medal Of merit from
the King of Prussia.
He added TO his other enterprises last Sum-
sner the Natural History School at Penikese the
ISLAND presented and the school endowed by the lib
eralty of our townsman, Mr.. Anderson. The re-
eponsibility of all these great enterprises weighed
upon him. and perhaps fastened the conclusion of
his labors. There is none to fill his piece great
Light has gone out in the halls Of science and the re
manning torches burn but dimly. But the work that
lo has accomplished remains, and the vast acces-
eons TO science which are due to his efforts win be
She most enduring of monuments.