Mr.J. D. Macdonald on Foraminif era from the Feejee Islands. 193 



XIX. — Observations on the Microscopic Examination of Forami-^ 

 nifera obtained in Deep-sea Bottoms at the Feejee Islands, By 

 John Denis Macdonald, Assistant Surgeon H.M.S. Herald. 



[With two Plates,] 



The accompanying figures (Plates V. and VI.) represent some 

 forms of Foraminifera obtained by two soundings taken in the 

 Feejee group, from the respective depths of 1020 fathoms and 

 440 fathoms ; the former between Kandaru and Mbengga, and 

 the latter between Ngau and Viti Laru, about four miles from 

 the barrier reef. 



Illustrations of all the divisions of D'Orbigny's classification 

 were found in a few atoms placed under the microscope; and 

 from the great number of species occurring in so small a quan- 

 tity of the bottom, it may be readily conceived how vast must 

 be the accumulation of these microscopic beings at the depths 

 of the ocean, but more especially in the neighbourhood of islands 

 and continents, on whose coasts they are originally developed. 



The figures may be arranged as follows : 



I. Monostega, figs. 1-5, IV. Entomostega, fig. 25. 



II. Stichostega, figs. 6-10. V. Euallostega, figs. 26 & 2?. 



III. Helicostega, figs. 11-23, 24?. VI. Agathistega, figs. 28-30. 



The Stichifstega and Agathistega occurred in the bottom taken 

 at 440 fathoms, and nearly all the others were found in that 

 brought up from a depth of 1020 fathoms ; but this I am in- 

 clined to refer to casualty rather than to any essential difi*ereDce 

 in the materials existing in both. 



Figs. 31-33, representing living Helicostega, obtained in 

 shallow water, will presently be noticed. 



During our late cruises we frequently observed considerable 

 numbers of recent Foraminifera adhering to the fronds of the 

 smaller marine Algae (Confervacese, &c.), either floating on the 

 surface of the ocean, or growing on the shores of the Pacific 

 Islands; so that the abundant appearance of the dead shells 

 of these animals in the sand of every beach, and in every 

 sea-bottom fathomed by the armed lead, was satisfactorily 

 accounted for. 



On examining some living Bryozoa taken with the dredge at 

 Port Curtis, and including the British genera Serialaria, Vesi- 

 cularia and Crisia, I first observed that the Foraminifera brought 

 up with them were pedunculated, and so fixed to the polypidoms 

 as to preclude locomotion completely*. I could not help re- 



* These results furnish a striking confirmation of the statements pub- 

 .iished by Mr. W. Clark in the Annals for Mav 1849 and March 1850.— Eds. 

 Ann. &^ Mag. K Hist. Ser. 2. Vol.xx. 13 



