LETTER FROM PROFESSOR MARTIUS. 643 



9 



contributions, of which forty-five sheets are 

 already printed, to be published I hope next 

 year. I am curious to hear your geological 

 conclusions. I am myself inclined to the be- 

 lief that men existed in South America previ- 

 ous to the latest geological catastrophes. As 

 you have seen so many North American In- 

 dians, you will be able to give interesting ex- 

 planations of their somatic relations to the 

 South American Indians. Why could you 

 not send me, as secretary of the mathematical 

 and physical section, a short report of your 

 principal results ? It would then be printed 

 in the report of our meetings, which, as the 

 forerunner of other publications, could hardly 

 fail to be agreeable to you. You no doubt see 

 our friend Asa Gray occasionally. Eemember 

 me cordially to him, and tell him I look eagerly 

 for an answer to my last letter. The year 

 'sixty-six has taken from us many eminent bot- 

 anists, Gusone, Mettenius, Yon Schlechtendal, 

 and Fresenius. I hear but rarely from our ex- 

 cellent friend Alexander Braun. He does not 

 resist the approach of old age so well as you, 

 my dear friend. You are still the active nat- 

 uralist, fresh and well preserved, to judge by 

 your photograph. Thank you for it ; I send 

 mine in return. My wife still holds in warm 

 remembrance the days when you, a bright, 



