The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1877-08-29
ForTHE RECORD
NOTES FROM NEW ENGLAND.
BY K. b. LARSON.

literary Mecca visit to its shrines of art
and science being the end and aim of our pill.
grimage. Riding along its elm-embroidered
avenues, we reached the carriage drive leading
into Agassiz's Museum of Zoology, which we
found to be a large six story brick building,
situated in grove.
/ Upon entering, the first object which rivets
your attention, Is marble bust of Agassiz,
reverently covered by delicate gauze. A
perfectly developed head, noble counten-
ance, displaying depth Of thought and d SYM
pathic benevolence is the artists embodiment
Of Louis Agassiz.
| Passing on from room to room you see the
operations of his master mind, interpreting
and classifying the work of the Creator, be-
ginning with the Protozoa, the lowest form Of
animal life. and running up to the highest
every class, order, genusand species being re-
presented by choice specimens, perfectly pre-
served and symmetrically classified. It would
require volumes to give description of this
rare geological collection; we can only refer to
q few.
| Among the Protozoa was variety of
sponge from the Philippine Islands, which re-
sembled the delicate meshes of snow white
feeov Shetland shawl. There was Tho ,arcest
collection 81 coral have ever seen. embracing
some exquisite specimens of madrepores,
astrea and brain coral. Among the Tentacu-
nfera, I observed the Ootonus. made lannon's
by Victor Hugo, in his Toilers by the Sea. -
The card attached to his octopusship, stated
that in his life time. he had resided along the
shores of California He was nv no means so
! Formidable a creature as that branch of his
family WIN dwell in the waters around the
Isle Of GUERNSEY. The collection Of dsh can
not be excelled. The reptiles were b;deous
enough to make cold chills creep over YOU at
the thought of encountering one Of them be-
fore he was enclosed in his handsome o]ass
sarcophagus. 7 especially observed = vene-
nous lizard from the Isthmus of Darieu. and a
deadly Crotalus ada,nanteus from Florida
presented to the museum by Count. with
an unpronounceable name.
II was o,;ta ,alaf 10 t,rr from, thesa
o.,,,,;nr oroat,,ra. 70 a., .,sas oeh;raa o,d
:, aa,,;.a.;,, &c a. ,,oa,,;e.,l ,,,,,,
"a ,.raooe,,, cow ,e ,,a eoo.raroa :. e.
rot 3ba av,stanoa of tha orova,;no raot;la
tr;bo A no,t,v nstr;ob ott,.c.oa nv atton-
tian ohsaruad th.t IL III foot ,vas ,,rou;d
cd with hit two tons. ami that his handsome
wings looked as If they had been despoiled of
plume or two. Here for the first time saw
specimens of the edible bird nest from Ceyl-
on. These nests are composed of a starchy
-.
The department of Embryology was exceed
| ingly interesting and the query was awaken
ed as to how it was possible to obtain SO num-
erous a collection of this sort. One room con-
tanned a number Of Ethnologicai heads from
Asia. in casts of plaster of Paris. relieved by
back ground Of black velvet,
Apassig is gone but his plans with regard
to classification and arrangement are being
carried out bv those who aided him in his
scientific labors. / saw several persons engag-
ed in arranging aid labelling specimens. In
one room /, carpenter Of a crave and diepified
demeanor. was fitting nm cases for the recep-
tion Of fossils. asked him n few questions
with regard to the remains of Megatbeuum
which occupied large portion of the room. His
replies were worthy of a Geological professor.
II was evident that the atmosphere of cnlture
in which he had plied his trade had produced
IFS effect unon him.
N ..,..a. Mt,
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