154 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 



At a meeting of the Council it was voted to present the specimens belonging to the 

 Society which were formerly in the Ethnological department to the Peabody Museum. 



Walker Prizes. The first prize of sixty dollars was awarded in June to Dr. A: S. Pack- 

 ard, Jr., for an essay by him on the subject proposed for this year " On the development 

 and transformations of the common house-fly." 



The Grand Honorary Prize was awarded this year by the Council to Alexander Agassiz 

 for his investigations in the Embryology, Geographical Distribution, and Natural History of 

 the Echinoderms, and the sum of one thousand dollars, the highest amount the Council 

 was authorized to grant, appropriated for the purpose. 



In November, Mr. William T. Brigham oflFered to present to the Society the casts of the 

 busts of several naturalists, if it would pay the cost of transportation from Europe. The 

 offer was accepted with thanks ; these busts, being those of Cuvier, A. L. de Jussieu, 

 Adrian de Jussieu, Buffon, Linnaeus, and Charles Girard, were subsequently received and 

 now adorn the main hall of the Museum. 



A meeting of the Council was called by the President on December 15th. Upon assem- 

 bling, he addressed the members, stating that in view of the great calamity that had befal- 

 len the community and particularly upon all interested in scientific culture and progress, 

 by the death of our distinguished member Louis Agassiz, he had thought it well that they 

 should come together and take such immediate action in relation thereto, as might seem 

 fitting upon the occasion. He then recommended as a manifestation of respect to the 

 memory of our honored associate, that the usual second monthly meeting be omitted on 

 the next Wednesday evening and that we communicate to the family of Professor Agassiz 

 our wish to be present at his obsequies if this should be agreeable to them. The pro- 

 posed action was taken. 



Louis Agassiz. 



1874. The meeting of the Society on January 7th partook largely of a memorial char- 

 acter, the proceedings generally relating to the death of our distinguished member. Prof. 

 Louis Agassiz. After calling the members to order, President Bouv^ addressed them as 

 follows : 



Since we last met an event has occurred that has brought deep sorrow to our hearts, 

 and indeed moved with grief those of the whole community ; for whilst in the death of 

 the great naturalist we have lost a distinguished Honorary Member, a pioneer in the paths 

 we love to tread, one whose name deservedly ranks high among the most illustrious of 

 those who have explored the world of matter and of life, the great body of the commun- 

 ity has lost one whom it has long and justly regarded as pre-eminently the great teacher 

 in science, the man of all men, who inspired the love of knowledge, and who was never 

 weary in his efforts to impart the best he knew to every seeking soul. 



Truly all alike, learned or unlearned, high in attainments and position, or only humble 

 seekers of truth, may well weep the loss of him, whose presence alone was to everybody 

 an inspiration. 



To those of us who have been in any degree sharers in his labors, or companions in lit- 

 erary or scientific circles, his loss is irreparable. 



