2 LOUIS AGASSIZ. [CHAP. i. 



ously the name of the family was derived from the 

 name of the bird ; as evidence of this, the old armoiries 

 or coat-of-arms of the Agassiz family is a black magpie 

 on a silver ground (Pic noire sur fond d ' argejit), a 

 drawing of which may be seen on the title-page. It is 

 still preserved in the family in Switzerland, which also 

 possesses an old seal, engraved on copper, with the 

 same bird in the centre. Formerly, among all French- 

 speaking peoples it was the custom for ennobled 

 burghers to adopt for their coat-of-arms what was 

 called " armes parlantes," and the Agassiz of Orbe 

 chose the magpie. 



Originally, the name was doubtless given to one 

 inclined to talk a little too much, as the French 

 proverb has it, "bavard comme une pie." 



One of the most faithful correspondents and best 

 friends of Agassiz, Sir Philip de Grey Egerton, the 

 great English paleoichthyologist, an excellent French 

 scholar, used often to call him " Mon cher Agass " as a 

 reminder of his knowledge of old French and patois. 



The name Agassiz is not very rare, and is found 

 among French people not connected in any way with 

 the original family of Louis Agassiz. However, a 

 branch of his family emigrated to London, and some 

 fifty or more years ago a family of bankers of the 

 name of Agassiz was there, who occasionally corre- 

 sponded with their relatives of the Canton de Vaud. 

 One of them published, in 1833, a book of travels under 

 the title, "Journey to Switzerland and Pedestrian Tours 

 in that Country" (London, Svo), a work which is some- 

 times wrongly attributed to Louis Agassiz. 



