Louis François de Pourtalès

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“Pourtales' range of learning was very extensive, and his command of it perfect. Nor was it confined to mathematics, physics, and zoology. He did not scorn to read novels and light poetry, and was knowing in {{w|family history}} and {{w|local history}}. It was a common saying in the museum that if Count Pourtales did not know a thing it was useless to ask any one else.”

“The deepest cast was made in 517 fathoms; it gave a very handsome {{w|Mopsea}}, a {{w|crab}}, an {{w|Ophiura}}n, and some {{w|annelid}}s.The difference of the deep-sea faunæ of the opposite coast of Cuba and Florida is very marked, although the distance is so small; of all the {{w|coral}}s, for instance, described by me from the coast of Cuba, only two or three, and those in fragments, were found off the Florida reef.”