1858-64-] ALBERT BICKMORE. 137 



of the marine animals, more specially shells, of the 

 coast of North Carolina. Being only a private in an 

 infantry regiment, he was detailed upon special hospital 

 duty near the seashore. There almost daily he explored 

 the beaches, going often so far as to trespass on the 

 Confederate lines, wandering in his pursuit of shells, on 

 rather dangerous ground for a boy in blue, for he always 

 wore his military dress. The least that could have 

 happened to him was to be made a prisoner of war, but 

 somehow his pursuit was so earnest, he seemed so indif- 

 ferent to danger, so absorbed in collecting shells, that 

 the Confederates looked on him as a sort of inoffensive 

 "crank," and let him alone. Bickmore is now the 

 efficient curator of the American Museum of Natural 

 History at the Central Park, New York City. He was 

 a modest pupil, and does credit to Agassiz. 



Theodore Lyman, appointed colonel on the staff of 

 General Meade, served with distinction until the end of 

 the war. 



The other pupils and assistants did not enter the 

 army. Mr. Alexander Agassiz was confined to the 

 halls and laboratories of the Museum, where he did 

 excellent and valuable service. 



I was the only person attached to the Museum who 

 crossed the belligerent lines. In the fall of 1863, I 

 ventured on a geological exploration in Nebraska. At 

 that time there was no railway in Iowa, and to go from 

 Burlington, Iowa, to Omaha, I was obliged to pass 

 through all the northern part of Missouri, the most 

 rebellious part of that state. Railroad trains were con- 

 stantly held up by guerillas and bushwhackers on the 



