WIUJAM K^ITH BROOKS — CONKUN 



sion's Laboratory at Beaufort, North Carolina. He was a 

 trustee of the Marine Biological Laboratory almost from its 

 foundation until his death. In the summers of 1905 and 1906 

 he was at the marine laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of 

 Washington, at Tortugas, Florida. His scientific life was thus 

 closely identified with marine laboratories, beginning with the 

 earliest of these at Penikese, and ending with the latest at 

 Tortugas. 



In the fall of 1873 ne entered the graduate school of Har- 

 vard University, where he continued two years, receiving the 

 degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 1875. At Cambridge he 

 came to know several zoologists whose work and influence 

 helped in some measure to shape his career. First among these 

 must be named Louis Agassiz, of whom Brooks occasionally 

 spoke in later life and whose influence upon him was profound 

 though brief. Agassiz died in December, 1873, and Brooks' 

 association with him was thus limited to the summer session at 

 Penikese and the autumn term at Harvard. Among others 

 whose influence he felt must be mentioned Alexander Agassiz, 

 McCrady, and Hyatt. 



While at Harvard Brooks and some other young zoologists 

 lived in an old wooden building known as Zoological Hall, 

 which stood where the Peabody Museum now stands. Pro- 

 fessor Birge, who lived in the same building and thus saw 

 Brooks frequently, remembers that he lived very simply and 

 was apparently supporting himself, and that his usual careless- 

 ness of dress was emphasized by the fact that he mended his 

 torn clothes with white string. His life was studious and gen- 

 erally solitary, save for the companionship of a great St. Ber- 

 nard dog, "Tige," who always walked with him when he went 

 out and who occupied most of his bed at night. "I hardly 

 think," says Professor Birge, "that any of his ideals were 

 shaped by the men with whom he worked. He read much and 

 thought for himelf. One day he brought me a new copy of 

 Darwin's Origin of Species, and when I asked him what this 

 meant, he told me that he had borrowed mine one day when I 

 was out, and, having kept it a good while, had written so many 

 notes in it that he preferred to buy me a new copy rather than 

 give the old one back." 



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