52 TRANSACTIOXS OF THE fxOV. 16, 



The several geological surveys necessarily carried with them tlie 

 requisite scientists in the field. We may now look with pride and 

 gratitude on the liberality that has made it possible to produce 

 such magnificent volumes as we now see, the product of our 

 Government ])ress in every library of science. 



There is another very distinct period in the history of American 

 zoology, dating from the advent of Agassiz — in the words of 

 Cuvier, "a pearl from the hills of Neufciuxtel." To those wlio 

 arc able to look back to this event, its appreciation is most 

 heartily recalled. The generous enthusiasm of the master was 

 instantly contagious, and continued. The eminent savant found 

 many collectors, but few investigators in our country. In the 

 glorious school of Cuvier he had been taught to observe. The 

 mere collection, arranged and labelled, was to him meaningless: 

 what to him the empty shell of a periwinkle, or the impaled 

 carcass of a beetle, so there be no story of its life, nor appreciation 

 of its mysteries in death ? 



It was our good fortune frequently to meet this delightful man 

 during the first years of his residence in our country. His 

 cottage and laboratory at Nahant were near our home. His fre- 

 quent presence on the rocky shores and sandy coves and beaches 

 seemingly induced a sort of talismanic power tliat called up many 

 an unfamiliar form from the vasty deep. 



The rai)idity with which new forms of invertebrates came 

 forth, having now for tlie first time, by the magic hand of the 

 master, "a local habitation and a name," was marvellous to all. 

 The work, subsequently accomplished by Agassiz and his as- 

 sistants, is historic, and many a disciple of the master has become 

 illustrious through his teachings. 



During the latter years of the first half of this century, the 

 Boston Society of Natural History and the Essex Co. Natural 

 History Society, Eastern Massachusetts, were organized; the for- 

 mer somewhat earlier perhaps. The works of Dr. Gould on the 

 Molhisca we have noticed. But there was a good deal of jn-ivate 

 observation and investigation that cither never pjissed into print, 

 or was simply deposited in the archives of the Essex Co. Society. 

 Salem, Mass., was headquarters of the society, and a very respect- 

 able museum was established there, and has continued growing 

 apace until the present. It is one of the few tlioroughly scien- 

 tific museums in this country. 



The names of Dr. Wheatland, Putnam, Cooke, Tufts, Haskell, 

 True, Stimpson, are remembered with sentiments of high esteem. 

 Here and in the adjacent towns much of the first work in this 

 branch of zoology was done. ^Vv. 'Vywq was a carver in wood, 

 entirely dei)endent on his daily labor; yet he contrived to make 

 some of the earliest observations on the habits of molluscous ani- 



