110 BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHIITGTOlSr. 



the Smithsonian and heard its mournful history. Prominent con- 

 chologists resident in the United States were favored, for a con- 

 sideration, with many rare specimens before any of the expedition 

 naturalists had returned. Some of those contemporary with the 

 events have told me of the prizes secured in this immoral man- 

 ner, unworthy of a true naturalist, though doubtless the tempta- 

 tion was great. 



The result of such proceedings may be imagined. Couthouy 

 found that the shells to which many of his notes related could 

 not be identified, and others had disappeared altogether. He 

 worked over the mass that remained until the return of the expe- 

 dition, when, to crown all his misfortunes, the pay of the natu- 

 ralists was reduced forty-four per cent., though low enough 

 previously. For Couthouy, who had a wife and two children to 

 support, it was the last straw. He declined to attempt the report, 

 and his papers and collections, after sundry vicissitudes, were put 

 into the hands of Dr. A. A. Gould, who bears willing testimony 

 to the value of Couthouy's work. After this he returned to his 

 profession as a master in the mercantile marine, visiting South 

 America and the Pacific. In 1S54 ^'^^ took command of an ex- 

 pedition to the Bay of Cumana, where he spent three years in 

 the unsuccessful search for the wreck of a Spanish treasure ship, 

 the San Pedro, lost there early in the century. Our next trace of 

 him is shortly after the outbreak of the rebellion. He volunteered 

 in the navy, and, August 26, 1861, was appointed acting volun- 

 teer lieutenant. Five days later he was ordered to command the 

 rj. S. bark Kingfisher ; December 31, 1862, to command U. S. S. 

 Coluifibia., which was wrecked, and Couthouy made prisoner. 

 After three months at Salisbury he was exchanged, and. May 29, 

 1863, ordered to the Mississippi squadron to command the moni- 

 tor Osage^ but was transferred to U. S. steamer ChillicotJic. 

 On the 3d of April, 1864, while off Grand Ecore, Louisiana, 

 on the turret of his vessel, he was shot from an ambush on the 



