Journal of Travel and Natural History ^"j 



PROFESSOR AGASSIZ IN BRAZIL. 



OEFORE this meets the eye of the reader, Messrs Ticknor and 

 ^~^ Field, of Boston, will have published a " Journey in Brazil,'' 

 by Professor and Mrs Louis Agassiz — an illustrated book of over 

 500 8vo pages. We have been favoured with advance sheets, from 

 which we are enabled to give the following preliminary notice. 



The narrative is interwoven with some of the more general 

 results of Professor Agassiz' scientific observations, especially his 

 inquiries into the distribution of the fishes in the greatest hydro- 

 graphic basin in the world, and the proof of the former existence 

 of glaciers throughout its extent. The vegetation of the tropics, 

 seen by Professor Agassiz from a palseontological point of view, is 

 drawn in charming pictures by Mrs Agassiz' pen. 



The first chapter embraces the journey from New York to Rio. 

 Mr Agassiz' instructions to his corps of assistants, given in a series 

 of lectures on shipboard, exhibit the systematic plan upon which 

 the scientific survey was conducted. 



Subsequent chapters follow the course of the party along the 

 coast to the Amazons, in the ascent of the river to Tabatinga on 

 the Peruvian frontier, including short residences at Manaos, 

 Mauhes, and Teffe. At Teffe, frequent mention was made of Mr 

 Bates, "Senhor Henrico," whose narrative Mrs Agassiz often 

 recalls with interest. Nearly six months were spent on the 

 Amazons. 



Besides a special chapter on the physical history of the 

 Amazons, several appendices on scientific subjects are added by 

 Mr Agassiz. Comparisons are drawn between the Indian and 

 Negro — a subject which is occasionally discussed in the text. Mr 

 Agassiz expresses his conviction that the relation of human races 

 to each other is the same in kind as that which species bear to 

 each other, and that hybrids of the human races are always a mix- 

 ture of two primitive types, and never, as among domesticated 

 animals, the simple reproduction of the characters of one pro- 

 genitor alone. 



The itinerary of the assistants is also traced in an appendix. 

 These gentlemen explored most of the country between Rio and 

 Bahia, from the coast range of mountains to the sea ; the whole 



