12 THE FAUNA OF THE DEEP SEA 



masses, of pure protoplasm in the form of the famous 

 but unfortunately non-existent Bathybius, induced 

 some men of wealth and leisure to spend their time 

 in deep-sea dredging, and stimulated the govern- 

 ments of some civilised countries to lend their aid 

 in the support of expeditions for the deep-sea 

 survey. 



Mr. Marshall Hall's yacht, the ' Nornia,' was em- 

 ployed for some time in this work, and an extensive 

 collection of deep-sea animals was made. About the 

 same time Professor L. Agassiz was busy on board the 

 American ship, the ' Hassler,' in continuing the work 

 of Count Pourtales, and later on the Germans fitted 

 out the ' Gazelle,' and the French the still more famous 

 ' Travailleur ' and ' Talisman ' expeditions. Nor must 

 we omit to mention in this connection the cruise of 

 the Italian vessel, the ' Vittor Pessani,' nor those of 

 the British surveying vessels, the ' Knight Errant ' 

 and the ' Triton,' and the American vessels, ' The 

 Blake ' and the ' Fish Hawk.' 



But of all these expeditions, by far the most com- 

 plete in all the details of equipment, and the arrange- 

 ments made for the publication of the results, was 

 the expedition fitted out in 1873 by the British 

 Government. The voyage of H.M.S. ' Challenger ' 



