Agassiz, Garman, Albatross, and the Collection of Deep-sea Fishes ADAM P. SUMMERS, KARSTEN E. HARTEL, and THOMAS J. KOOB Introduction Among these expeditions was a rare Lawrence Scientific School (his father’s trip, under nongovernment funding, domain), where he studied zoology, ge­ The U.S. Fish Commission Steamer from which the specimens were depos­ ology, chemistry, and engineering. His Albatross was sent forth on many, ited and described at the Museum of father then convinced him to sign on as often pioneering, missions of basic and Comparative Zoology (MCZ) at Har­ an assistant in the Museum, despite the applied science. Principally, this ship vard University. This particular voyage fact that he wanted to become a rail­ was engaged in defining and discover­ left an impressive legacy due primarily road engineer, and he took charge of ing new fishing grounds and exploit­ to the disparate talents of two partici­ the work and business of the institution able species. The impact of these ex­ pants—the noted invertebrate embryol­ (Agassiz, 1913). peditions on the development of var­ ogist Alexander Agassiz and the irasci­ Determined not to follow in his fa­ ious fisheries is evident in several of ble ichthyologist Samuel Garman. ther’s footsteps in all ways, in 1868 the papers in this special issue of the We are concerned with a single voy­ the young Agassiz decided to accept an Marine Fisheries Review. However, the age, in 1891, of only 2 months dura­ offer from his brother-in-law, Quincy long-term legacy, and indeed the im­ tion, during which the Albatross con­ Shaw, to assume managerial control mortality of the Albatross rests to a ducted deep-water trawls and sampled over the failing Calumet and Hecla great extent on the purely scientific the eastern Pacific off Panama and Ec­ copper mines in Michigan. According findings that arose from both the ap­ uador. Alexander Agassiz (Fig. 1), the to Eliot (1910), this decision was based plied ventures and the few voyages director of the Museum of Compara­ on his desire to make money, because which were entirely devoted to ocean­ tive Zoology, was in charge of the ex­ he considered that a successful career ography and organismic biology. pedition. He also funded the running as a naturalist in the United States re­ costs and provided part of the scientific quired independent personal funds. As party. The collections from this expe­ it turned out this decision was to prove dition were worked up over the years especially appropriate for Alexander. Adam P. Summers is a Miller Research Fellow in the Department of Integrative Biology and the by many authorities, both at the MCZ His opinion was no doubt largely due Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, VLSB 3101, Uni­ and at other institutions, but perhaps to the financial difficulties, both insti­ versity of California, Berkeley, CA 94720- 3160, one of the finest scientific legacies is tutional and personal, into which his email: [email protected]. Karsten E. Hartel is the collections manager for the fish the volume of deep-sea fishes authored father continually plunged the MCZ as collection at the Museum of Comparative Zool­ by Samuel Garman (1899) (Fig. 2). well as his family. ogy, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, email: [email protected]. Thomas J. Koob This voyage was the outcome of Though Alexander Agassiz had many is the skeletal biology section chief at the Shri­ the persistence and drive that char­ setbacks, the Calumet and Hecla copper ners Hospital for Children, Tampa, FL 33612, acterized Alexander Agassiz (Agassiz, mining companies in Michigan were email [email protected]. 1913). Born in Switzerland in 1835 to eventually able to supply his personal the impecunious but brilliant zoologist needs as well as those of the museum. Louis Agassiz, Alexander was destined Moreover, it was entirely due to his per­ ABSTRACT—The first of Alexander Agas­ to become a biologist. During Alexan­ sonal fortune, accrued by his skill in siz’ voyages on the U.S. Fish Commission der’s early childhood, his father par­ managing the copper mines, that subse­ steamer Albatross in 1891 yielded signifi­ layed a prestigious speaking engage­ quently enabled him to undertake his re­ cant scientific results. This paper reviews ment in the United States into the markable 30 years of worldwide ocean­ the background of the voyage, including the founding of the Museum of Compara­ ographic explorations (Zinn, 1980). career path that led Agassiz to the back deck of the Albatross. We also give a brief account tive Zoology. Thus, young Alexander In 1873 Louis Agassiz died and the of the life and work of Samuel Garman. was immersed both in the science of directorship of the MCZ passed to Al­ Garman wrote up the ichthyological mate­ that museum and its precarious financ­ exander, a position he held actively rial from this Albatross voyage in a magnif­ es from a very young age. He graduated until 1904. Under doctor’s orders to icent book on deep-sea fishes published in 1899. This book was exceptional in its cov­ from Harvard in 1855, and was award­ stay away from the Cambridge winters, erage, anatomical detail, and recognition of ed two baccalaureate degrees, the first Agassiz began a series of winter field phylogenetically important morphology. in 1857 and the second in 1862 from the trips. The first was to Lake Titicaca, 58 Marine Fisheries Review Figure 1.—Alexander Agassiz (1835–1910), director of the Figure 2.—A middle-aged Samuel Garman (1843–1927), Museum of Comparative Zoology and chief zoologist in charge western explorer turned curator of fishes, amphibians, and of the collecting expedition of the Albatross in the winter of reptiles at the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Repro­ 1891. Reproduced with permission of the MCZ archives. duced with permission of the MCZ archives. between Bolivia and Peru, where he Pacific Interest were quite similar to those of the Blake; prospected in a hired steamer. Later ex­ Agassiz would pay for coal and assist in plorations of the Caribbean were made With an already extensive knowledge equipping the boat in return for the first from J. H. Forbes yacht, the Wild Duck, of the Atlantic and Caribbean fauna, series of specimens. Many of the tech­ and the U.S. Coastal Survey Steamer Agassiz was extremely interested in niques for sampling the abyssal depths Blake. collections from the Pacific. On sever­ had been designed, tested, and refined During three cruises from 1877 to al occasions he inquired about the pos­ on the Blake by Count Louis François 1880 Alexander used the Blake to gather sibility of using the Albatross to do de Portalès, including the “Blake trawl,” zoological evidence for his theories of a survey of the eastern Pacific’s deep and this outfitting was important for biogeography and oceanography (Agas­ waters. He was particularly interested the success of the collecting trip (Agas­ siz, 1888). His passion was echino­ in two questions: 1) is there life in the siz, 1888). Moreover, the captain of derms, with many of his publications intermediate depths, and 2) is the fauna the Albatross, Zera L. Tanner, had de­ detailing the variation within and among of the Pacific in any way related to the signed and fabricated a variety of inge­ species of sea urchins. With typical Eu­ creatures he collected from the Carib­ nious nets (the designs of some are still ropean feeling for his patrimony, Agas­ bean abyss? used today) to sample the pelagic fauna siz also devoted considerable time and Finally, in 1890, when Agassiz was (Fig. 4). The trip was certainly quite ex­ expense to ichthyology, the field in 55 years old, Colonel Marshall Mac- pensive for Agassiz: he spent $12,000 which his father had made such impor­ Donald, Commissioner of the U.S. Fish on coal alone, which would be over tant contributions. He often took his fa­ Commission, asked him to take charge $180,000 today. Agassiz clearly felt that ther’s last student, Samuel Garman, on of a deep-sea survey with the Albatross the information to be gained from this voyages to work up the fish collections. (Fig. 3). The conditions of this voyage field trip was extremely important. 61(4), 1999 59 Figure 3.—The Albatross seen from the Galapagos Islands during the 1891 voyage. Reproduced with permis­ sion of the MCZ archives. Agassiz’ (1892) general sketch of The tows with this net were not entire­ of the theoretical underpinning of Al­ the expedition, published soon after his ly successful during the 1891 Albatross exander Agassiz’ biology now has little return from the voyage, discusses in expedition. They did establish the pres­ application. In contrast, the descriptions depth the intermediate fauna. The ques­ ence of the pelagic fauna down to 300 of the fishes collected on his first Alba­ tion, simply put, sought the bathymetri­ fathoms, but the mid waters below this tross voyage remain an important part cal range of the pelagic fauna: “Having depth appeared to Agassiz to be devoid of the ichthyological literature. This is always been more or less interested in of plankton. Unfortunately, the waters largely due to the efforts of Samuel pelagic fauna, having paid consider­ he sampled during both the Blake ex­ Walton Garman and the two artists able attention to its vertical distribution peditions and the 1891 Albatross expe­ whom he supervised. during my earlier cruises on the Blake, dition were not representative of inter­ I was naturally anxious to reconcile the mediate oceanic depths. We now know Samuel Garman conflicting statements and expressions that these regions are plankton-poor be­ Garman remains one of the most col­ of the naturalists of the Challenger and cause of certain oceanographic features.