New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-19
In the Laboratory with ARassiz.

One more departed to heavens bright sbere.
Ring the bell softly, there's Grape on the Goor
In the Laboratory with Agassiz.
1t was more than fifteen years ago tina. T
entered the laboratory of Professor A gassiz,
and told him had enrolled my name in the
Scientific School as q student of natural
history. He asked me few questions about
my object IN coming, my antecedents gen.
orally, the mode in which afuerward pro-
posed to use the knowledge might AGO ure,
and, finally, whether l wished to study any
special branch. 70 the latter replied that
while l wished to be well grounded in all
departments of zoology, | proposed TO de-
vote myself especially to insects.
! When do you wish to beginl" he asked,
Now" replied.
This seemed to please him, and, with an
| energetic Very WE'LL" he reached from a
shelf huge jar of specimens in yellow al
cohol.
Take this fish, said he, "and look at if;
we call it H@mulon; by and by viii ask
what you have SEEN"
With that he left me, but in moment re-
turned with explicit instructions as to the
care OF the object intrusted to me-.
mo man is tit to be a naturalist said he,
'who does not know how to take care of
spec mens.'
was to keep the fish before NE in a tin
with alcohol from the jar, always taking
care to replace the stopper tightly. Those
were not the days of ground glass shoppers
and elegantly shaped exhibition jars; all
.he old students will recall the huge neck
less glass bottles with their leaky, wax
eesmeared corks, halt-eaten by insects and
begrimed with cellar dust. Entomology
was cleaner science than ichthyology, but
the example of the professor, who had
unbesitatingly plunged to the bottom of the
jar to produce the fish, was infectious; and
though this alcohol had "a very ancient and
fsh-lke SMELL" l really dared not show
any aversion within these sacred precincts.
and treated the alcohol az though it were
pure water. Still l was conscious of pas
sing feeling of disappointment, for gazing
at a fish did not commend itself to an
ardent entOmologst. My friends at home,
too. were annoyed. when they discovered
that no amount of eau de cologne would
drown the perfume which haunted NE like
a shadow.
In ten minutes had seen all that could
be seen N that fish, and started in search of
the professor, who had, however, left the
museum; and when / returned after linger-
ing over some of the odd animals stored in
The upper apartment, my specimen was dry
all over. l dashed the fluid over the fish as
If to resucitate the beast from a fain.ing tit,
and looked with anxiety for return OF the
normal, sloppy appearance This little ex-
element over, nothing was to be done but
return to steadfast gaze at my mute COM
paniOn. Half an hour passed-an hour
another hour; the fish began to look lOath-
some. turned it over and around; looked
it in the face-ghastly; from behind, be-
meath, above. sideways, at three qnarters'
view-just as CHASTITY. | was in despair; at
an early hour l concluded that lunch was
necessary; SO, with infinite relief, the fish
was carefully replaced in the. jar. and for
IN hour was free.
On ny return, learned that Professor
Agassiz had been at the Museum, but had
gone, and would not return for several
hours. My fellow-students were too busy
% be disturbed by continued conversation.
Slowly drew forth that hideous fish, and,
With feeling of desperation, again looked
1t might not use magnitying glass;
Instruments of all kinds were interdic.ed.
Nv two hands, my two eyes and the fish; it
eemed most limited field. pushed my
niger down its throat to feel how sharp the
eeth were. l began to count the scales in
he different rows, until ! was convinced
hat was nonsense. At last happy thought
truck mel would draw the fish; and now,
With surprise, began to discover new feat
res in the creature. just then the pro-
essor returned.
That is right" said he; ga pencil is one OF
he best Of eyes. am glad to notice, TOO,
y 4
ottle cOIked.'
With these encouraging words, he added:
well, what is il likea"
He listened attentively to my brief re-
earsal of the structure of parts whose
ames were still unknown to me: the tringed
lil-arches and movable Operculum; The
ores Of the head, feshy lips and l;dless
yes; the lateral line, the spinous fins, and
,rked tail; the compressed and arched
ody. When had finished, he waited, as if
Expecting more, and then, with an air of
You have not looked very carefully;
n.y." he continued, more earnestly, You
aven't even seen one of the most conspicu-
us features of the animal. which IS as
lainly before your eyes as the fish itself;
'ok again, look again" and he lei. ne 10
~ misery.
/ was pigued; was mortified. Still more
that wretched fish! But now set myself
} my task with will, and discovered one
ew thing after another, until / saw how
st the professors criticism had been. The
,ternoon PASSED quickly, and when, to-
ard it's close, the professor inquired:
DO you see it yet"
NO" l replied; II am certain l do not,
ut see how little l saw before"
THAT is next best" said he earnestly,
ID. and 60 home: perhaps you will be ready
it'll better answer in the mOning. l will
famine you before you look at the FISH"
This was disconcerting, not only must
ink of my fish all night studying, with
1t the object before me, what. this m
lown but most visible creature must be:
1t also, without reviewing NY new dis
veries, must give an exact account Of
EN- the Hext day. l had bad memory,
/ walked home by Charles river in dis
acted state with my two perplexi,ies.
The cordial greeting of the professor the
xt morning was reassuring; here was a
an who seemed to be quite as anxious as
hat should see for myself what he saw.
do you, perhaps, mean," asked, that
fsh has symmetrical sides with pared
gansl
His thoroughly pleased "Of course, of
urse! J" repaid the wakeful hours OF the
evious night. After he had discoursed
ost happily and enthusiastically ne
ways did-upon the importance OF this
INT. ventured to ask what ! should DO
xt.
'.Oh look at your fish " he said, and left
again to my own devices. In a little
ore than an hour he returned and heard
? new catalogue.
That is good, that is good " he repeated;
ut that is not ALL go on and so for
rec long days he placed that fish before
? eyes, fOrbidding me to look at anything
e, or to use any artificial aid. Look,
Ok. look, was his repeated I'M junction.
his was the best chronological lesson I
er had-a lesson whose influence has ex-
1ded to the details of every subsequent
10y; legacy the professor has left TO
}, as ne has left it to many others, OF in
,imaole value, which we could not buy,
IN which we can not PARTLY q Former