LOUIS AGASSIZ 65 



head of the corner, although for expla- 

 nation he passed directly, instead of in- 

 directly, to the Creator, declaring that 

 such laws were u incontestable proofe of 

 the existence of a superior intelligence, 

 whose power alone could have estab- 

 lished such an order of things. 77 



The execution of the Fossil Fishes, es- 

 pecially the lithographing of the plates, 

 was of remarkable excellence. No ex- 

 pense had been spared, and the result 

 was accomplished. We have dwelt upon 

 this work because it was both the most 

 important and the most finished of his 

 books finished indeed as far as such 

 a thing could be finished, when every 

 year was producing new specimens, and 

 making Agassiz plan new appendices. 

 But this was only one of a score of im- 

 portant contributions to science. His 

 Fresh-water Fishes, issued in much the 

 same style, was kept in progress at 

 the same time ; and here the mon- 

 ograph on the Salmonidse stands com- 



