Constantine Samuel Rafinesque. 23 



greatest possible attention to his loves, the flowers and 

 the fishes and the mollusks. During his long residence 

 in Sicily he had done much work on the fishes of the 

 Mediterranean, and no doubt he found ample opportunity 

 in the long days of slow movement down the Ohio to 

 arouse again his intelligent love of these forms. 



FIRST VISIT TO THE FALLS OF THE OHIO. 



The party with which Rafinesque reached Louisville 

 found its haven at the Falls. At Shippingport* he 

 was &quot;received with open arms&quot; by the Messrs. Tarascon, 

 formerly of Marseilles and next of Philadelphia, who 

 now operated a large flouring -mill at that place. For 

 two weeks he remained there, and one who has ever seen 

 the rich molluscan life of the Falls of the Ohio at low 

 water might understand what busy weeks these were. 

 Rafinesque spent the time &quot;studying the fishes and 

 shells of the river, of which I made a large collection, 

 drawing them on the spot at the same time. I was sur 

 prized to find them nearly all new: this rendered my 

 researches still more important and interesting.&quot; 



*Shippiugport is now within the corporate limits of the city of Louisville, 

 at the foot of the Falls of the Ohio. 



