28 LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



various works on physiology, anatomy, and 

 zoology. . . . 



Next to Alexander Braun, Agassiz's most 

 congenial companion at Heidelberg was Karl 

 Schimper, a friend of Braun, and like him 

 a young botanist of brilliant promise. The 

 three soon became inseparable. Agassiz had 

 many friends and companions at the univer- 

 sity beside those who, on account of their 

 influence upon his after life, are mentioned 

 here. He was too affectionate not to be a 

 genial companion among his young country- 

 men of whom there were many at Heidel- 

 berg, where they had a club and a gymna- 

 sium of their own. In the latter, Agassiz 

 bore his part in all the athletic sports, being 

 distinguished both as a powerful gymnast and 

 an expert fencer. 



Of the professors then at Heidelberg, 

 Leuckart, the zoologist, was, perhaps, the most 

 inspiriting. His lectures were full of original 

 suggestions and clever hypotheses, which ex- 

 cited and sometimes amused his listeners. He 

 knew how to take advantage of the enthu- 

 siasm of his brighter pupils, and, at their 

 request, gave them a separate course of in- 

 struction on special groups of animals ; not 



