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Miscellaneous Intelligence. 451 
dividuals of the Laurus sassafras also dying. I have no where seen any 
account of a similar death among the trees of our forests, and it is to be 
hoped that some one may give the subject their ideration and assign 
the cause. 
4, Prof. Lovis Agassiz of Neufchatel, Switzerland.—This distin- 
guished naturalist, who is known wherever science is cultivated, is about 
to visit the United States. His intention has been, for some time, pri- 
vately announced by him to his scientific friends in this country, and we 
are now assured by a recent letter from himself, that leaving Neufchatel 
in February, he would spend some weeks in Paris, before passing to 
London, but that he would not leave England for America before April ; 
probably we may expect his arrival at New York or Boston in the course 
of the month of May. 
He enjoyed the friendship and confidence of Cuvier, who committed 
to him the charge of carrying forward the Natural History of Fishes, 
which Cuvier had begun. His great work on fossil fishes is finished, 
except that new discoveries will, from time to time, demand its exten- 
sion. His publications on the Echinodermata are far advanced; we 
haye splendid examples of the work on modern fishes, and his study of 
the glaciers of Switzerland and the vicinal Alps formed an episode in 
the midst of his labors in various departments of natural history. All 
his works are illustrated by numerous figures and drawings, distinguish- 
ed alike for accuracy and beauty. Having been favored by,the author 
from time to time, by receiving the results of his numerous and arduous 
labors, they have been mentioned in various numbers of our first series. 
Prof. Agassiz, by the friendship and advice of Alex. von Humboldt, 
enjoys the substantial patronage of the king of Prussia, and will pass 
two years in the United States, aided by a taxidermist or preparer of 
specimens in natural history, and by a draftsman to copy the various ob- 
jects, especially fishes and molluscous animals, and the corresponding 
fossil families will of course be included. His devotion, ability, and 
zeal—his high and deserved reputation, and (as we are assured from 
unquestionable sources) his amiable and conciliating character, will, 
without doubt, secure for him the cordial cooperation of our naturalists, 
and the favor of the public wherever he may travel over our vast ter- 
ritory. We recommend him and his eause to all lovers of science and 
of mankind, He is strongly impressed by the activity and success of 
our own naturalists, (although few of them are able to cultivate science 
exclusively,) and he is most anxious to form their personal acquaintance 
and to obtain their assistance. We have no doubt that as a power fu 
auxiliary and fellow laborer in a common cause, he will be every where 
received with cordiality, and seconded by efficient aid; nor do we en- 
