CORRESPONDENCE WITH BRAUN. 43 



seemed very uneasy, and sprang about con- 

 stantly in the tank, but grew more quiet when 

 I threw in more water. The eggs were soon 

 free, and I laid them in a shallow vessel filled 

 with fresh water. The restlessness among 

 them now became greater, and behold ! like 

 lightning, a little tadpole slipped out of its 

 egg, paused astonished, gazed on the great- 

 ness of the world, made some philanthropic 

 observations, and swam quickly away. I gave 

 them fresh water often, and tender green 

 plants as well as bread to eat. They ate ea- 

 gerly. Up to this time their different stages 

 of development had been carefully drawn by 

 my sister. I now went to Vallorbe; they 

 promised at home to take care of my young 

 brood, but when I returned the tadpoles had 

 been forgotten, and I found them all dead; 

 not yet decayed, however, and I could there- 

 fore preserve them in alcohol. The gills I 

 have never seen, but I will watch to see 

 whether they are turned inward. . . . 



BRAUN TO AGASSIZ. 



CARLSRUHE, August 9, 1827. 



. . . This is to tell you that I have deter- 

 mined to leave Heidelberg in the autumn and 

 set forth on a pilgrimage to Munich, and that 



