The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-04-14
In The Laboratory With Agassiz
BY A FORMER PUPIL.

1t was more than fifteen years ago that 1
entered the laboratory of Professor Agassiz,
and told him had enrolled my name in the
scientific school as a student of natural his
tory, He asked me few questions about my
object in coming, my antecedents generally,
the mode in which afterwards proposed to
use the knowledge might acquire. and final
ly, whether wished to study any special
branch. To the latter replied that while
wished to be well grounded iu all departments
of zoology, purposed to devote myself spec
tally to insects.
"When 60 you wish to begin ?' he asked.
."Now," / replied.
This seemed to please him, ard with an en-
ergetic VERY well," he reached from shelf
huge jar of specimens in yellow alcohol.
Take this fish," said he, land look at it
we call 1t H@mulon; by and by will ask
you what yon 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.
No man is fit to be naturalist" said he,
"who does not know how to take care OF
specimens
was to keep the fish before me in tin
tray, and occasionally moisten the surface with
alcohol from the jar, always taking care TO re-
place the stopper tightly. Those were not the
days Of ground glass shoppers, and elegantly
will recall the huge neckless glass bottles with
their leaky, wax-besmeared corks, half eaten
by insects and begrimed with cellar dust.
Entomology was a cleaner science than ich-
thyology, but the example Of the professor,
who had uEhesitatingly plunged to the bot
tom of the jar to produce the fish, was infect
ious; and though this alcohol had "a very an
cient and fish-like SMELL" really dared not
show any aversion within these sacred pre-
o,~l kol kI,n cI~ A. IL "a
were pure water. Still was conscsous of
passing feeling of disappointment, for gazing
at fish did not commend itself to any ardent
entom Ologist. My friends at home, too, were
annoyed, when they discovered that no amount
OF eau de cologne would drown the perfume
which haunted me like shadow.
In ten minutes had seen all that could be
seen in that fish, and started in search of the
professor, who had however left the museum:
some of the odd animals stored in the upper
apartment, my specimen was dry all over. I
dashed the fluid over the fish as if to resusci-
tate the beast from fainting-ft, and looked
with anxiety for retnrn of the normal, sop-
py appearance. This little excitement over.
nothing was to be done but return to stead
fast gaze at my muie companion. Half an
hour passed, ,-an hour,-another hour; the
fish began to look loathsome. Iturned it over
and around; locked it in the face,-ghastly I;
from behind, beneath, above, sideways, at a
three quarters view,-just as ghastly. l was
in despair; at an early hour concluded that
lunch was necessary; so, with infinite relief,
the fish was carefully replaced in the jar, and
for an hour was free.
On my 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 to be dis
turbed by continued conversation. Slowly l
drew forth that hideous fish, and with feel
ing of desperation again looked at it. might
not use magnifying glass, instruments OF
all kinds were interdcied My two hands,
nv two eyes, and the fish; it seemed most
limited field. 1 pushed my finger down its
throat to feel how sharp the teeth were. l
began to count the scales in the different rows
until was convinced that that was nonsense.
At last happy thought struck mel would
draw the fish !; and now with surprise began
to discover new features in the creature.
Just then the professor returned.
"That is right" said he; "a pencil is one of
the best Of eyes. 1 am glad to notice, too,
that you keep your specimen wet, and your
bottle corked."
With these encouraging words he added
"Well. what is it like?'
He listened attentively to my brief rehear-
sal of the structure of parts whose names
were still unknown to me; the fringed gill;
arches and movable Operculum; the pores of
the head, fleshy lils, and lidless eyes; the
lateral line, the spinous fins, and forked tail
the compressed and arched body. When
had finished, he waited as if expecting more,
and then, with an air of disappointment,-
"You have not looked very carefully !;
why." he continued, more earnestly, you
haven't even seen one of the most conspicu-
o,s feature of the animal, which is as plainly
hexore your ewes as the fish itself; look agaiH,
look again p' and he left me to my misery.
was pioued; I was mortified. Still more
of that xretched fish! But now l set myself
to NV task with will, and discovered one
new thing after another, until saw how just
the professors criticism had been. The
afternoon passed quickly, and when, towards
its close, the professor inquired
-Do you see it yet?
NO." replied, 81 am certain I do not,
hut see how little saw before"
f'That is next best" said he earnestly,
Abut won't hear you now; put away your
fish and 90 home; perhaps you will be ready
with better answer in the morning. will
examine you before you look at the fish,"
This was disconcerting; not only must
think of my fish all night, studying, without
the object before me, what this unknown
hnt most visible feature might be; but also,
without reviewing my new discoveries,
must give an exact account of them the next
day. I had bad memory; 30 / walked
| home by Charles River in distracted state
with my two perplexities.
| The cordial greeting from the professor the
next morning was reassuring; here was a
man who seemed to be quite as anxious as !,
that should see for myself what he saw.
''Do you perhaps mean,' l asked nas ina
the fish has symmetrical sides Win pA"'
organs?' uof course. of
ppe1eus nsn Asr had S.e9Sr'se ss
most hannily and enthuslastlcally ne