CHAPTER XVI 



1898-1900 

 THE TROPICAL PACIFIC 



The following letter tells something of Agassiz's ac- 

 tivities at Newport the summer after bis return from the 

 Fijis, when, hoping to devote more time to his research, 

 he resigned the direction of the Museum : — 



TO ERNST EHLERS 



Newport, Sept. 15, 1898. 

 I think I can see your hand in the very flattering no- 

 tice that I have been elected a foreign member of the 

 Gottingen Academy. While I have given up the admin- 

 istration of the Museum, I have naturally retained the 

 care of the publications connected with the expeditions 

 of the Blake, Albatross, and other expeditions which I 

 may have undertaken, or am likely to make hereafter. 

 I already find considerable relief from executive work, 

 and before I go off this winter I hope to be entirely 

 free. Woodworth, who is to be Assistant in charge, will 

 not take hold until beginning of next year, as he goes 

 to Samoa to finish collecting " Bololo " for his paper. 

 When we saw them in Fiji you naturally came to my 

 mind, and I could imagine how greatly you would have 

 enjoyed the sight of the " vermicelli soup." One of my 

 assistants, Dr. Mayer, and I are collecting material for 

 a Revision of the Acalephs of the East Coast, and we 

 have some fine material which will make a new thing 



