MURRAY: ALEXANDER AGASSIZ. 



155 







position of floating pumice, which is frequently thrown up by the 

 waves on the reefs. 



These results of Agassiz depend on a far greater number of original 

 observations, in widely scattered areas, than have been made by all 

 the other authorities on coral reefs put together. 



When we attempt to survey the life-work of Alexander Agassiz, we 

 are astonished at its amount, variety, and quality. His activities 

 in any one direction would have been an excellent record for any one 

 man, but he was many sided. He was largely engaged in commercial 

 undertakings and directed a great business during the whole latter 

 half of his life; he carried on detailed researches and published splen- 

 did memoirs on the group of Echinoderms — a subject on which he was 

 regarded as the leading authority. In his deep-sea researches he 

 added greatly to the world's knowledge of the great oceans, and 

 inspired the investigations of a very large number of zoological and 

 other specialists. In his study of coral-reefs he travelled more exten- 

 sively than any man of his time — many thousands of miles — with 

 one special object in view, — to see with his own eyes the varied forms 

 which these gigantic and beautiful natural structures assume under 

 different conditions. We must likewise take into account his work 

 in the laboratory and in the study, where the reports on his many 

 voyages, cruises, travels, and collections had to be prepared for publi- 

 cation. Again one must recall the services he has rendered to his 

 alma mater — Harvard University — in his general assistance in 

 administration, his special care of its museums, his donations for 

 extensions in many directions, and lastly his altogether grand series 

 of publications from the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 1 His 

 great desire was to add to the sum of natural knowledge by his own 

 work and by the impulse he could give to others imbued with a similar 

 spirit and desire. He worked and struggled continuously and heroi- 

 cally with that end in view, and with those who are now engaged in 

 working up his results and collections in all civilized countries he is 

 still a living force, and will be so for many years to come, for he has 

 arranged for the publication of all the results of these researches. 

 I used to meet him nearly every year either in Europe or in America, 

 when we spent a few days together discussing almost all Oceanic 

 problems. I am conscious of his effect on my life and all my scientific 

 work. As an example of the influence he exerted we have only to look 



1 Fifty-two volumes of the " Bulletin" and thirty-two volumes of " Memoirs". 



