NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



engineering to devote his life to zoology. Among his young com- 

 panions and fellow-students under Agassiz were eight who be- 

 came eminent as investigators and teachers of zoology and were 

 in good time elected to the National Academy, one of them 

 becoming its President. In 18GO they organized a zoological 

 society, which met for reporting the progress of their work and 

 discussing the researches they were carrying on and subjects of 

 general interest to zoologists. This society they named after the 

 teacher, who attended the meetings and gave inspiring reminis- 

 cences of Humboldt, Cuvier, Dollinger, and other eminent men. 

 Hyatt attended the meetings and took an active part in the dis- 

 cussion, every new conception calling forth a response from him 

 and opening to him new avenues of thought. So eloquently did 

 Agassiz set forth the embryological system of von Baer that H 

 made a profound and permanent impression upon Hyatt. The 

 physico-philosophical system of Oken and the high praise ac- 

 corded to him by Agassiz also influenced Hyatt and led him to 

 consider his work from points of view induced by these great 

 men. We are told that he also learned by heart Agassiz's Essay 

 on Classification. 



One of his fellow-students saw that, as a young man, Hyatt 

 was contemplative, taking life seriously. Despite this sober atti- 

 tude, he was brimming over with good nature, laughing heartily 

 at a joke, even when he was the victim of it. He was devoted to 

 his work and was among the few who found more delight in 

 keeping steadily at work at their studies when the college was 

 deserted in summer than in taking a vacation. We are told that 

 bis concentration upon his work gave him the appearance of an 

 absent-minded man. His attention was indeed absent from his 

 immediate surroundings, but it was by no means wandering in 

 other directions. So absorbed would he become at times that he 

 appeared to be in a dream, from which lie could be aroused only 

 by a slap or a shout. 



This pleasant student life came to an end, for the time, when 

 he was graduated from the Scientific School, in 1862; for he 

 believed it his duty to give to his country, which was then at 

 war, the benefit of his military training, lie did not hesitate lo 

 act upon his conviction, although he knew he should Ihus 

 estrange himself from those who were nearest and dearest to 



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