was pleased to learn that the reputation of his collection in Burlington had preceded him. When Wachsmuth returned to Burlington in 1866, he devoted all his energies to the continued collection and study of crinoid fossils. In 1866 he coauthored his first paper with Agassiz student William H. Niles, showing that the Burlington formation was actually composed of two geological horizons. At this time, Wachsmuth preferred to focus on research and let others publish. In 1869, Frank Springer, a young attorney, began to practice law in Burlington. Springer had studied natural history at the University of Iowa but decided that law was a more practical career. In Burlington, he soon made friends with Wachsmuth and joined him in the collection and study of crinoids. In 1872, Springer moved his law practice to New Mexico but continued to collaborate with Wachsmuth and returned to Burlington whenever possible. In 1872, Agassiz visited Burlington again and was impressed by the growth of the collection and the quality of the fossils. He purchased the collection for $6,000 and hired Wachsmuth to take charge of the entire crinoid assemblage at Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology. Agassiz encouraged Wachsmuth to study the literature on crinoids and publish his own findings. Wachsmuth held this position until Agassiz's death in December, 1873. Wachsmuth traveled to Europe and Asia in 1874, bringing with him a small collection of crinoid fossils which he sold to the British Museum for £80. He returned to Burlington the same year and set out to build another, even larger collection of fossils. With the help of his wife and Frank Springer, the new collection of crinoids soon rivaled any in the world. Because of his health, Wachsmuth spent winters collecting fossils in the warmer climate of the American South. Springer traveled to Europe and brought back an extensive selection of fossils from England, France, Russia, and Bohemia. Other fossils from around the world were purchased or acquired in trade. Wachsmuth built a special, fireproof museum behind his home to store the fossils. In addition a comprehensive library of crinoid literature was gathered. Wachsmuth and Springer published their findings in a variety of scientific journals. They were not interested in naming and describing new species but instead concentrated on issues of morphology and classification. The culmination of their work was the two-volume "Monograph of the North American Crinoidea Camerata" (1897), published by the Museum of