ON THE FORAMINIFEKA OF THE FAROE CHANNEL. 167 



and rock fragments being swept into the deep water 

 to the north-east. 



It is now well known that temperature is the 

 most important factor in the distribution of marine 

 life, and it might well be expected that there would 

 be a considerable difference in the character of the 

 fauna on either side of the Wyville Thomson 

 Ridge. This is clearly shown by the number of 

 animals collected in this locality by the various 

 ■expeditions.* 



By an inspection of the tabulated list appended 

 to this paper, it may be seen that the Foraminifera 

 found in the Faroe Channel show a marked 

 difference of species and numbers obtained in the 

 two areas ; it includes representatives of the typical 

 ■deep-sea forms as well as those taken at intermediate 

 depths. 



A striking illustration of this was shown by the 

 use of the tow-nets, which, in the warm area, gave 

 great quantities of very large and fine specimens of 

 the beautiful Hastigerina pelagica (d'Orb.), while none 

 of these were obtained either in the surface or sub- 

 surface waters of the cold area, neither has any 

 trace of their dead shells been found in the deposits 

 of the cold area. 



It will be observed that, with two or three excep- 

 tions, the soundings taken on the Wyville Thomson 

 Ridge have an average depth of 250 fathoms, and 

 the bottom temperature varies from 55° F. on the 

 surface, to 46°'4 F. at 280 fathoms. 



On examination of a number of the samples of 

 ■deposits taken on the ridge, a striking difference in 

 the variety of species presents itself. Here Truncatu- 

 lina refulgens and Rwpertia stabilis flourish in abun- 

 dance, and are taken attached to nearly all the 

 small stones and rock-fragments which appear to 

 cover the crest of the ridge, the base and aperture 



* See Dr. John Murray " On the Physical and Biological Con- 

 ditions of the Seas and Estuaries about North Britain," Proc. 

 Philosophical Society of Glasgoiv, vol. xvii., p. 306, 1886. 



