EDITOEIAL NOTES. 



After the lamented death of Professor A. H. Garrod, Mr. W. A. Forbes 

 was induced to undertake the anatomical examination of the Petrels collected 

 during the cruise of the Challenger. The result of Mr. Forbes' labours is 

 given in the first Report in this volume. This contribution will be found a 

 most valuable addition to the literature on this remarkable order of Pelagic 

 birds. 



The name which has been given to Professor Haeckel's beautifully illus- 

 trated Memoir may perhaps be open to question. Some of the species 

 described are certainly from the surface, and it is even doubtful if all the 

 others are to be regarded as true deep-sea animals. 



Professor Haeckel discusses this question in his Preface, and I quite agree 

 with him in regarding some of the forms as constant inhabitants of the 

 deep sea. 



In Dr. Theel's Memoir we have the description of a new order of 

 characteristic deep-sea animals of very great interest. 



The majority of the Elasipoda live in depths greater than 1000 fathoms, 

 and up to the present time only one species has been found in depths 

 less than 100 fathoms. This species was dredged in the Arctic Ocean, during 

 the Swedish Expedition to the Yenisei in the year 1875, and was described 

 by Dr. Th^el shortly after the return of the Challenger to England. This 

 circumstance led to the whole of the Holothurioidea of the Challenger 

 Expedition being placed in Dr. Theel's hands for description. Dr. Theel 

 promises the second part of his very valuable contribution in the course of 

 a few months. 



Owing to the continued ill-health of the late Sir C. Wyville Thomson, 

 I was, in January of the present year, instructed to undertake the Editorial 

 duties connected with the Official Publications on the Scientific Results of 

 the Challenger Expedition ; and, at the same time was requested to prepare. 



