LOUIS AGASSIZ 511 



4. Several years earlier the King of Bavaria had The fishes 

 sent an expedition to Brazil, to collect specimens of 

 natural history. The results of this journey were in 

 course of publication in a number of sumptuous volumes, 



but in 1826 the author of the zoological series died. 

 This left the fishes undescribed, and when the editor 

 looked around for a suitable man to deal with this sub- 

 ject, he decided upon the young student Agassiz. 

 This was an extraordinary compliment, and although 

 it meant still further encroachments upon the time 

 devoted to medical studies, the task was gladly ac- 

 cepted. In due time the book appeared, and Agassiz, 

 justly proud, writes with enthusiasm to his sister 

 Cecile : "Will it not seem strange when the largest and 

 finest book in papa's library is one written by his 

 Louis?" 



5. Having duly graduated at Munich, Agassiz re- Fossil fishes 

 turned to Switzerland, where he made a certain pre- 

 tense of setting up a medical practice. He was, how- 

 ever, now filled with ideas of writing great works on 



fishes, and particularly on fossil fishes, a subject then 

 greatly neglected. So we find him going to Paris, 

 approximately carrying out -the plans he made when a 

 boy. Here he sought the acquaintance of Cuvier, an cuvierand 

 aristocratic genius, the first zoologist of his time and Humboldt 

 one of the greatest leaders of French science. Cuvier 

 received him politely, and soon began to take a strong 

 personal interest in his work. After a time, when 

 thoroughly satisfied of the young man's ability, Cuvier 

 produced a portfolio of notes and drawings of fossil 

 fishes. This he placed in Agassiz's hands, saying that 

 he had himself intended to prepare just such a work as 

 Agassiz had in view, but he now saw that his young 

 friend was the proper man to do it. Would he, there- 



