Iviii GENERAL SUMxMARY OF SCIENTIFIC AND 



111 tlic way of explorations of the Mediterranean, the prin- 

 cipal labor has been that prosecuted by M. Lacaze-Duthiers 

 on the JVarval^ a French vessel emi)loyed in the hydrograph- 

 ic survey of the coast of Algeria. The special object of M. 

 Duthiers was the re-examination of the coral banks investi- 

 gated by him in 1860 to 1862 ; this w^as successfully accom- 

 plished, and resulted in securing much interesting informa- 

 tion in regard to the growth of coral animals in general. 

 Dr. Carpenter had announced, as the result of his observa- 

 tions in the Mediterranean in 1871, that animal life w'as very 

 much restricted in that sea, owing to the great accumulation 

 of carbonic acid, induced by the want of circulation of the 

 water in consequence of the bar across the entrance at the 

 Strait of Gibraltar; and he further stated that animal life 

 below 150 fixthoms was very scanty, and still more so at 200 

 fathoms. Lacaze-Duthiers, however, as the result of his la- 

 bors, does not concur in this generalization, as very large col- 

 lections of specimens, including several novelties, were ob- 

 tained. 



A report has been published by Dr. Oscar Schmidt of 

 explorations in the Adriatic made in 1870 on the Austrian 

 steamer Trieste. An interestina; result of his researches was 

 the discovery of Batliyhius at depths of fifty fathoms or 

 more, and also of a second protozoan organism, which he 

 calls JRhcibdoUthus. 



Explorations off the coast of N'ortli America during 1873 

 have been very extensive, and fruitful in important results. 

 A report of explorations in 1872, on the Canadian vessel 

 Stella Maris^ has been published by Mr. Whiteaves, an in- 

 teresting fact recorded therein being the existence of a tem- 

 perature of 32 at the bottom of the sea near Bonaventure 

 Island. The labors of Mr. AVhiteaves were continued in 

 1873, and, as before, Avere prosecuted in the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence. Two weeks were devoted to the investigjation of the 

 greatest depths, between Anticosti and the Gaspe peninsula. 

 The northern entrance to the Bay of Chaleur was examined 

 on the second cruise. The third extended between Cape 

 I^reton and Prince Edward's Island, and the fourth included 

 both sides of Northumberland Strait, from Pictou to Mira- 

 michi Bay. Numerous collections were made on this expe- 

 dition, and much important information secured in regard to 



