New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-05
PROF AGASsIz on COUNT P0URr4LES.


From The AaericuR Journal If sc,eBcs.
Educated as an engineer he showed from Doyhood
a preGllectiOn for natural history. he was favor
lie student o. Profess Aga--IZ and when his friend
and teacher came 10 America N 1917 he accCmpa-
MED HIM aud remained for some 1iine With the little
band Of natuIall sts who, tT't ~ East Boston ana
suhsrquentls M Cambridge. SHARED his labors. In
IS4~ Pourtalea entered the United states Coast
survey where bis Dity and iDdcfarlg gable industry
were AZ once 0gulZcd. aud ne renamed attached
fo that branch of or public service Tor many years
He there became decplT interested III everything re-
iating the study oi che bed Of the Thanks
Ia the enlightened support Of he then SuperInten-
dent OF the Coast Survey, Professor Bache. and OF
bis successorS Professor Pierce and Captain Parter-
son he was enabled 30 utFoie l- iacut- ana INDUS
rrv 10 the nipamtiyely new field Of lhalassO-
lyrqphvr ana me biolo1ical Investigations related
TO H. The large collections Of specimens from the
sci b,~.om accumulated by fhe different hydro
cr.iphic expeditions o.. the United states Coast sur
vey were carefully examined ty hiIu, ana the re-
suits were published 100 advance Ol their appear
auce In the Coast Survey Reports IN Pc;ernan's
bottom me east coast az the United states. -
interest r. ana ygIuabie We're the results obtained
Dot only az an ana o. navigation, but n their wider
bearing Oh She history OF Tie bult stream, ard on
the -,uhulOu Of animal NE 80 great depths, iuat
I'M 1866 le wa- sent ont 5y Professor Pierce, then
-upariufcudcnt OF thc Coast survey, 20 commune
these investigation ON larger scale. During 500,
1867 and SIS NE was IN charge # the extensive
dredging ex l1railous carried on by the United
safes Coast Survey steamer Bi1b. acting Master
Pratt. along tine whole liae Of the Florida Reefs.
and across tLc Straits or Florida Z" CuDa, salt hey
and the Bahama Banks Ihe results OF these eXpe-
GlfioU- puD. shed u the bulletin Ot tn" Museum OF
(.uparliIve solOgv, excited 2 eat interest among
z0oOgists and -eoloEi-t-. Nr. Poultaes was indeed
tue pioneer II deep sea dredging I'm America. and h.
-ved long enough 20 see thai these expeditions had
pavrd the way, not "nIy l"I similar EheIish'
French ana Scandinavian researches, bur
hsd lei IN TINS country t. the Iiass'er
and finally 70 tie Blake expeditions under the
usulces 81 the Hon. Garlic Patterson. the present
Superintendent Of our Coast survey. On the Hls--
lcl expedition from Massachusetts Bay through the
lfaNTf NsN srr.
charge Of the dredging operations. Owing to cir
cUnlstlnces beyond ais control the deep-sea eX-
porious OF that expedition we're hot as successful
At the death # his father Mr.. Pourtales was left
III an independent position, winch allowed HIM 10
devote himself more completely tnan ever To his 20
illogical studies He resigned his official connection
with the Coast Survey and returned 10 Cambridge,
where he became thencef0rth identified with the
progress Of the Museum Of Comparative Zoology.
10 Professor Agasslz his presence there was lnVaI-
nable In youth one of ais favOTite pupils, through
out life his friend ana colleague, ne now became
the support Of his failing strength he materials
Of the different deep-sea dredging expeditions,
above mentioned, lad been Chiefly deposited at the
uuseuua IN Cambridge. and were thence distributed
% specialists ia this country and Europe. large
part Of the special reports upon them have
already appeared Mr.. POurtales reserved 20
himself the cOrals, haicyonarians, b0l0thurlans
and crnoids. number OF his papers on the deep
sea cOrals Of Florida OF the Caribbean sea and OF
the Gulf of Mexico have appeared in the museum
publ locations BE had begun to Work at the mag
nihceut collection or halcyOnarians maize BY the
Blake IN the Caribbean sea, and had already
made good progress with his final report on the
holothur1ans. The crinOd memoirs published by
him relate to q few species Of Conatu@, and 10
the interesting genera RbzOcrnus and H0lopus.
The titles OF his memoirs indicate the range of his
learning and his nntirlng industry. His devotion
10 science was bOundless. model worker. so quiet
that his enthusiasm was known only 70 those who
watched his seadfast labor he toled on year after
wear without a thought OF self, wholly en-
crossed In his search after truth. He never entered
Into a single scientific controversy, nor even as
serted or defended his claim 90 discoveries OF his
own which had escaped attention. But while
modest to o fault and absolutely careless Of Ais own
position, he could rebuke II peculiarly effective,
though always courteous manner, Ignorant pIeteI-
SONS or an assumption OF infallIbility.
Appointed keeper OF the Museum OF Comparative
Zoology after the death Of Professor Agas'z he de-
voted large part II his time TO the admins ntlon
Of the museum affairs. Always at his post, be
passed from his original Investigations to PRACTICAL
details carrying out plans which he had himself
helped to initiate for the growth Of the institution.
As ne had been tine devoted friend OF Professor
Agassiz he became TO his son Wise and affecJionae
counsel or without whose help IN the Last ten year
the museum could not have taken the place II now
occupies