2G2 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



not ouly belong to the simple kinds, but were of many different kinds ; 

 among them also some fish. 



Like the Scandinavian scientists before them, they found that the ani- 

 mals of the deep have quite a peculiar character, and differ in many re- 

 spects very materially from those usually found near the English coasts ; 

 they seemed to be closer related to those antediluvian animals known to 

 us by the many petrefactions dug out from the earth. 



These observers expected to find the water in these depths to be 

 nearly ice-cold, as it would be the nature of this water— being more 

 compressed — to weigh heavier, and therefore sink to the bottom. But, 

 on the contrary, they found sometimes cold and sometimes warm water 

 in all different depths, according to the places from which the currents 

 came. They found even parts of the water which, though in close prox- 

 imity to each other, differed widely in their temperature, and were con- 

 sequently inhabited by entirely different kinds of animals. 



The results of this expedition, although undertaken under very un- 

 favorable conditions, seemed so remarkable that the English Govern- 

 ment resolved to continue these investigations, and during the two 

 following years (18G9 and 1870) placed another man-of-war at the dis- 

 posal of the scientists. This was the Porcupine, much better adapted 

 to the purpose than the Lightning. The naturalists also had the good 

 fortune to meet with much more favorable weather than during the 

 preceding year. They eagerly pursued their investigations of the mys- 

 terious world of the deep, and did not only see all their former observa- 

 tions corroborated, but also added many new ones. During the former 

 expedition they had only penetrated to a depth of about 1,000 meters, 

 but this time they reached a depth of 2,000, 3,000, and 4,000 meters, 

 and yet did not find the uninhabitable desert which they had expected 

 to find. At the depth of nearly a mile they found many kinds of inver- 

 tebrates. If one takes into consideration the circumstances that these 

 soundings of the deep have to be made in entire darkness, it must be 

 confessed that, if l>3 r blindly groping about in the deep animals are 

 constantly brought up, life in these depths can by no means be scarce, 

 but seems on the contrary to be exceedingly abundant. 



VI. — The challenger scientific voyage round the world. 



It may well be imagined with what eager attention all the naturalists 

 of Europe followed these first observations on an entirely new field. 

 Even the public, which is constantly taking greater interest in the 

 progress of science, was surprised at these unexpected discoveries. 

 From all sides the desire was expressed not to stop at these first at- 

 tempts, but to continue the investigation of the world under the sea. 



So far, however, soundings had only been made in the neighborhood 

 of the European coasts. Important as the result had been, it must be 

 confessed that all these endeavors were but trifling compared to the 

 illimitable extent of the field. An expedition carefully prepared for 



