5^ The litest American Scientist. 



A Thorny Path — This morning^ I found under a piece ot 

 cactus in a canyon a beautiful mottled shell of Helix Stearnsiana. 

 The original tenent had not moved from this little home and I 

 soon transferred both house and lodger to my basket. I added 

 a few fungi, some other shells, and two or three plants of the fish 

 hook cactus to the contents of the basket. In a short time I 

 noticed that the snail was restless, and, after investigating the 

 newspaper that lined the basket, as well as the fungi, he found the 

 cactus which was evidently a pleasant discovery to him. The 

 heads of the cacti were closely set with clusters of fine white 

 spines and larger central hooked spines which give the variety 

 the name of the fish hook cactus. Carefully feeling his way, the 

 snail ventured upon this sea of spines soon drawing his shell after 

 him, and leisurely crossed the several heads over the needle 

 points of the spines (on which the reader would doubtless hesi- 

 to rest a finger) and evidently without the least inconvenience. 

 Reaching the spineless base of the farther plant, he rested from 

 his travels — content to remain near the friendly cactus, which fury 

 nishes both food and shelter to our Californian snails. C.R.O. 



Michel Eugene Chevreul. — The distinguished French 

 chemist, Michel Eugene Chevreul. died in Paris, April 9. He 

 was born before the outbreak of the French revolution, studied 

 at Angers with the young Wellington and Napoleon, and went 

 to Paris to push his fortunes a year before the latter became Em- 

 peror. Chevreul was born August 31, 1786, in Angers, and 

 lived to see France twice an empire, twice a monarchy and thrice 

 a republic. His father was a well-to-do physician in Angers, 

 professor in the medical faculty and a talented writer. Chevreul 

 was a very tall man, square in the shoulders and walked quite 

 erect and straight. 



In 1803, Chevreul entered \'auquelin"s laboratory in Paris, 

 where his aptitudes were quickly noticed, and in 1806 he was ap- 

 pointed the director of the laboratory, and professor in the 

 Lycee Charlemagne. In iSio he was appointed aide-nahiralistc 

 in the Museum of Natural History, then examiner for the Ecole 

 Polptechniqice; and at thirty he was professor of chemistry in 

 the Gobelins, the world-known manufactory of tapestry, and 

 director of the department of tinctorial baths. In 1826, after 

 the death of Proust. Chevreul was appointed member of the 

 Academy of Sciences. Not one of his colleagues at that time is 

 now living. He never missed a meeting of the Academy, up 

 to his hundredth birthday, and it is not long since he might have 

 been seen walking to the Institute, hat in hand, and hands behind 

 his back. 



As a man, Chevreul had a pleasant expression, amiable, kind- 

 hearted and good-natured, devoid of pedantic manners. His 

 life was a very quiet one, devoted wholly to work and study, 



