The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-12-23
Death of Prof. Agnssiz /.

MASS. lic was DOru ucuT iiuhc Noui-
chatel, Switzerland, in May, 1907, and
was therefore sixty.six years of age. lie
carly developed taste for scientific study
and research, and studied at the college
Of Lausanne, at the Zurich Medical
School, aud at the universities Of lleidel-
berg and Munich, besides attending for
four years SchciIus'- iestu'c- Oh rhiloso'
ply, L T. to the time Of his entering the
University OF Munich he seemed to have
locked upon medicine Ms his future pro
fessiou, but finally became the leading
spirit Of the scientific siudeut-circlc Of the
university. He assisted Martus in COM
pleting his great work on Brazil, and
from that time his mind became fixed in
its general scientific character. Agassiz's
next great labor was the publication Of
his celebrated work on the "Natural His
tory of the Fresh Water Fishes of Eu-
rope" in which he was assisted by the
intelligent generosity and foresight of
Gotta, the celebrated publisher. Mean
while ne had received the degree Of Phi,
D. at Erlangen, and subsequently that of
NJ. D. at Munich
Ia 1882 he was appointed professor OF
natural history in the college at Neufchat-
ell and in the succeeding fourteen years
which elapsed between the appointment
and his arrival in this country, Travelled
studied. and wrote much In 1S46 he
visited Boston, being sent to this country
on scientific mission from the Prussian
government, and the following year, hav.
ing obtained an honorable discharge, he
determined to make his home here. He
delivered lectures in various sections o.
the country, and then accepted the chail
Of zoology and geology in the Lawrence
scientific school, founded by Mr.. Abbott
Lawrence Since that time, with thu
exception of two years when he held thu
position of professor Of comparative anat
omy in the Medical College of Charles
ton, S. c., he has been closely identified
with Harvard College, and has laborot
iudefatigably in the interests of science
One of the most important undertaking
which will suffer by Professor Agassiz'
withdrawal is the Cambridge Museum
This is an idea of his own brain, whicl
he had worked hard to give a reality
Though only fourteen years old 1t has
reputation second to none, while in som
respects it is far superior to institution
claiming an equal name.
With his two later enterprises tn
Hassler expedition and the natural histor
school at Penikesc-nearly every one i
familiar. Some idea of the magnitud
of the collections he made on the voyag
of the coast.survcy steamer fIassler iron
Boston to San Francisco may be gath
cred from his own statement that $50
gallons of alcohol were consumed in pack
ing them. 1t included in some respect
the whole field of zoology, including tn
natural history Of mankind that ofmarin
mammala, marine birds, reptiles an
fishes. The number of fishes, mollusk!
crustacca and radiates obtained was c.
pecially large. For weeks past some {
the force of the Museum has been Ell
gagged in preparing and arranging tn
Hassler material. and Prof. Agassiz wa
in hopes that, by next year, he should ;
able to state the scientific value and in
portance of this vast collection.
Mr. Agassiz had planned great DEF
Of work in behalf of the public durin
the coming year The publishers of ii
atlantic Monthly had announced him fl
series of articles On Evolution" TT
professor had only "blocked out" pc
ton of the work. lie was engaged on a
examination and review of Haeckel
work on Die Kalkschwame, or the sponI
,, es, to which Haeckels applies the deve
opment theory. Professor Agassiz, viii
, commenting Haeckel's work in the hlg
est terms, expected to present som
= what different conclusion. In 1868
explored Brazil, the result Of which W
/. published in "a Journey to Brazil"
j 1867. Among the more prominent
: his works may be mentioned, "ContI
e buttons to the Natural History Of Il
n United States" work gigantic in co
: ception and execution, of which but fo
: volumes have as yet appeared; MET
: DDS OF Study ip National History :" "TI
b Structure of Animal Life !" "Twel
J., Lectures on Comparative Embryology
y "Systeme Glaceale )" and Lake Super
G or work embodying the results of
It scientific explorations in the region
u that Lake.