34 LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



I will bring him some, — and some for you 

 also. I kept several alive laid in damp moss ; 

 after fourteen days the eggs were almost as 

 large as peas, and the little tadpoles moved 

 about inside in all directions. The mother 

 stripped the eggs from her legs, and one of 

 the little tadpoles came out, but died for want 

 of water. Then I placed the whole mass of 

 eggs in a vessel filled with water, and be- 

 hold ! in about an hour some twenty young 

 ones were swimming freely about. I shall 

 spare no pains to raise them, and I hope, if 

 I begin aright, to make fine toads of them in 

 the end. My oldest sister is busy every day 

 in making drawings for me to illustrate their 

 gradual development. ... I dissect now as 

 much and on as great a variety of subjects 

 as possible. This makes my principal occu- 

 pation. I am often busy too with Oken. His 

 " Natur-philosophie " gives me the greatest 

 pleasure. I long for my box, being in need 

 of my books, which, no doubt, you have sent. 

 Meantime, I am reading something of Univer- 

 sal History, and am not idle, as you see. But 

 I miss the evenings with you and Schimper 

 at Heidelberg, and wish I were with you once 

 more. I am afraid when that happy time 

 does come, it will be only too short. . . . 



