The Agassiz Museum.

Your correspondent was permitted a few days ago, by the kindness of Professor Samuel Garman, to explore the quarters which be occupies in the basement of the museum. His quarters are roomy and sunny, and his work-room is nicely fitted up. Professor Garman is one of the least known, but one of the most valuable of all of our professors. He probably is the greatest expert in the country on reptiles and is constantly in the receipt of specimens from the fish commission for somerclature and analysis. Several new species bear his name - a great compliment in scientific circles. In the room adjoining his own he showed us thousands of jars of preserved reptiles and fishes from which he had to select the best specimens, and condemn the useless ones. Some thousands of innocent snakes and fish have been immured here for years, immolated to the cause of science, to be rudely dragged forth, condemned as "common" and haled to the offal-dock. Alcohol has been the ruin of nearly every reptile that ever indulged in it, as well as of nearly every man; though Professor Garman assured us that in a practically air-tight jar it did not require to be changed more than once in twenty years. Reptiles will keep for an indefinite number of years in this way, though they lose their lustre and brilliancy. It is wonderful to see the minute differences, of seven seales more or less on the head, the number of vertebrae in the spinal column, the rake of a fin - which go to determine the difference between one specie and another. The fangs of snakes are also curious things, those of the water-moccasin being the largest and most deadly. They lie hid in two sacs in the roof of the mouth, and are hidden, when the snake is quiet, like a cat's claws. The snake has regular noxillaries like any other carnivore, though it does not masticate its food. The fangs are only used when the beast is angry, and are thrown forward and filled with the poison in the sac.

Professor Garman has a small Green snake - a southern variety - which he kept in a jar, and which is singularly unlike these others in character. It is a pretty creature and such as society belles wear as ornaments in parts of Brazil - and is very tame and affectionate. Its bed is a small ball of cotton into which it curls itself, and its chief and favorite diet is the common house-fly. Professor Garman also has some salamanders and lizards in captivity which betray some intelligence, though the former is very muscular and a trifle ill-tempered, and resists vigorously an attempt to lift him from his nest of wet moss. The collection of reptilia in the Agassiz Museum, although it cannot be seen under the favorable auspices which our correspondent was as fortunate as to obtain, is nevertheless remarkably well worth a visit, for next to that of the Smithsonian Institution it is the most complete in the country. The HARVARD NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY is now turning out so many clever specialists into the ranks of Science that a word or two concerning it may be of interest. It is now a little over half a century old, and has had among its members such a noted man as Professor Agassiz, Professor Shaler and Professor Gray. It occupies handsome rooms in the eastern end of Massachusetts Hall, where a growing collection of minerals, reptilia and birds; and a valuable library which contains an almost priceless edition of Auduboni's birds. The society meets fortnightly for the discussion of congenial topics and is in a prosperous condition. It has given in the past several lectures - those by Profs. Trelease and Muybridge being eminently successful. If the society continues in its present flourishing condition, we may expect no lack of scientists in the future; for the society provides them to the Museum where they acquire fame and honor for themselves and the college.