ii 



A NATURALIST ON THE " CHALLENGER." 



CHAPTER I. 



TENEEIFFE, ST. THOMAS, BERMUDA. 



Circumstances of the Voyage. Teneriffe. Cochineal Plantations. Excur- 

 sion up the Peak. Trade- wind Cloud. Zones of Vegetation. Sunset 

 seen above the Clouds. Eabbits and other Animals on the Peak. 

 Peculiar Spider's Web. Catching Sharks off Sombrero Island, West 

 Indies. Appearance and habits of Eemora. Pilot Fish. Island of St. 

 Thomas. Calcareous Seaweeds. Sea Urchins with Poisoned Spines. 

 Burrowing Spider. Nest of Termites. Pelicans edible. Sand-box 

 Tree. Defensive colouring of Spines of Cacti. Beach Conglomerate. 

 Sea-beans. Bermuda. Calcareous Sand-rock. Caves. Vegetation. 

 Peat. Boatswain Birds. Land Nemertine. Corals in Caves. 



circumstances of the voyage.-— H.M.S. " Challenger/' a main- 

 deck corvette, with auxiliary steam power, left Portsmouth on 

 December 21st, 1872, for a voyage of three years and a half 

 round the world. The object of her cruise was to investigate 

 scientifically the physical conditions and natural history of the 

 deep sea all over the world. The ship was with that aim 

 specially fitted with sounding and dredging apparatus, and car- 

 ried a scientific staff, appointed by the Lords of the Admiralty, 

 and placed by them under the direction of Sir Charles Wyville 

 Thomson, F.B.S., &c. I accompanied the expedition as one of 

 the naturalists on this staff. 



In consequence of the special nature of the mission, the sea voy- 

 ages were tedious and protracted, the ship being constantly stopped 

 on its course to sound and dredge. Since the results obtained 

 by deep-sea dredging, even in most widely distant localities, were 

 very similar and somewhat monotonous, all reference to them 

 will be deferred to the end of this narrative ; where their natural- 

 history aspects will be discussed shortly as a whole, and where 

 oceanic animals and plants will also be treated of to some extent. 



The voyage of the " Challenger " occupied three years and 



B 



