SOUTAR and ISAACS: ABUNDANCE OF PELAGIC FISH 



Core 239 



34*' 14.0'N 

 120** 01.5'W 



cm 



Figure 2a.— Radiograph of core 239, Santa Barbara Basin. The 

 radiograph was obtained from a frozen core slab approximately 2 

 cm thick. The darker laminae are the more dense (negative print 

 of radiograph transparency). Each pair of laminae are consid- 

 ered to be a single year with the denser sediment representing 

 detritus brought in by winter rains (Soutar et al, in prep.). 



SO constructed were fitted to the frozen core sec- 

 tions by means of morphologic and stratigraphic 

 markers, and the sections were split into the 5-yr 

 blocks. These sediment blocks were subsequently 

 treated with a buffered dilute H2O2 solution and 

 gently washed on a 500/u screen. The retained 



coarse fraction was transferred to vials and stored 

 wet with ethanol as a preservative. Identification 

 and enumeration of the material was carried out 

 at low magnification. 



The presence of fish scales in contemporary 

 laminated sediment should not be unexpected, 

 particularly to those acquainted with the 

 stratified diatomite of the Monterey Formation 

 cropping out along the Coastal Range of Califor- 

 nia (David, 1943). In some instances whole or par- 

 tial skeletons offish are present in these deposits. 



Core 244 



25° 13.8' N 

 1I2°40.6'W 



960 

 1950 



SLUMP 



[ 1 cm 



Figure 2b. — Radiography of core 244, Soledad Basin. Although 

 laminae are present there are no consistent patterns that would 

 suggest varves. There is, however, enough information to physi- 

 cally correlate between slabs and to identify irregular sedimen- 

 tation events. 



259 



