96 LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



tory would not hesitate to take them at that 

 price. You will therefore easily understand 

 how anxious I am to keep them intact. Can 

 you not find me a place where they might be 

 spread out ? I have thought that perhaps 

 my uncle in Neuchatel would have the kind- 

 ness to let some large shelves be put up in 

 the little upper room of his house in Cudrefin, 

 where, far from being an annoyance or caus- 

 ing any smell, my collection, if placed in a 

 case under glass, or disposed in some other 

 suitable manner, would be an ornament. Be 

 so kind as to propose it to him, and if he 

 consents I will then tell you what I shall 

 need for its arrangement. Remember that 

 on this depends, in great part, the preserva- 

 tion of my specimens, and answer as soon as 

 possible." 



Agassiz was now hurrying forward both his 

 preparation for his degree and the completion 

 of his Brazilian Fishes, in the hope of at last 

 fulfilling his longing for a journey of explora- 

 tion. This hope is revealed in his next home 

 letter. The letter is a long one, and the first 

 half is omitted since it concerns only the ar- 

 rangements for his collections, the care to be 

 taken of them, etc. 



