LOUIS JOHN RUDOLPH A(;.\ssiz. L13 



upon the Hassler Expedition of 1871, which was 

 under the direction of the Coast Survey. He 

 endured without complaint the hardships of a voyage 

 round Cape Horn in a small steamer, and returned 

 laden with new collections. 



A minute exploration was made of the Saragossa 

 Sea, and a nest-building fish was discovered in the 

 vast bed of oceanic vegetation, and other important 

 contributions were made to natural science. 



At the end of 1873 his career was suddenly and 

 unexpectedly closed by death. In full harness and 

 abundant enthusiasm for the studies which he deeply 

 loved, he passed away. The American papers were 

 full of eulogistic records of his attainments and 

 qualities as a man ; but for my present purpose, it 

 will only be necessary for me to quote one short 

 notice written by an eminent American, and which 

 appeared in the report of the American Academy of 

 Arts and Sciences for 1873. It reads as follows : — 



The last year of his life was a very happy one. He 

 saw the museum well supplied with funds, growing in 

 size, and advancing towards arrangement. There came 

 besides, from Mr. John Anderson, the gift of the Island 

 of Penikese, and a large sum in money, to found a 

 summer school of natural history. It was at once 

 started with about fifty pupils, and Agassiz had the 

 great pleasure of founding the first establishment of the 

 kind in the world.* But he killed himself in doing it. 



* The station of Dr. Dohrn, at Naples, is of a 

 different character, and was not then in working order. 



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