NOTES. 63 
Proropiasmic Lire.— Mr. Crace-Calvert stated that life will be- 
come manifest in the albumen of a fresh egg mixed with pure wa- 
ter after an exposure of fifteen minutes to the atmosphere. Ex- 
periments in x Serer CRATE are often vitiated by mo- 
mentary exposure to the a 
NOTES. 
Pror. Agassiz has published a letter in regard to the expedition 
in the Hassler, in which, after stating that some published state- 
ments are incorrect in many particulars, he says : — 
“The Hassler was built for the coast survey work of the Pacific 
shore of the United States. Any work undertaken on board this 
vessel, is, therefore, entirely pg to that of the regular 
operations of the survey. she , however, necessarily 
make the tour of the South A toad ea ae nt, in order to reach 
her destination, Professor Pierce, the Superintendent of the Coast 
Surv ey, has thought it wise to organize a scientific party, con- 
useful to science, as well as to the special interests of the survey 
itself. To this énd he has provided a dredging apparatus in con- 
nection with the hydrographic operations, thus continuing a 
larger scale the work so admirably conducted under his auspices 
in the Gulf of Mexico during the last five years. e wider range 
thus given to these operations will, of course, greatl enhance 
the value of the previous work, and lay the foundation for much 
more effective researches in the future. 
I consider aoe tg ee in being connected with this voyage, 
doubly so beca the companions with whom I am associated 
are men of tried ‘ability #0 some of them having a larger experience 
than my own in special details of the work, while Captain John- 
son, commander of the Hassler, adds to his professional skill a 
zeal for the interests of science opiti shared by the officers un- 
ler him, But while erah thing has been done to give this initia- 
that lives has special value for the ataralsak but the expens 
making these collections, and indeed all expenses of the i 
tific party not directly connected with the Coast Survey work, will 
I have thought it best to publish this statement in order to 
make it fully understood that the scientific expedition connectéd 
with this voyage is not its chief object, except so far as that ex- 
pedition subserves the best interests of the Coast Survey.” 
