CHAPTER VI 



THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN 



In a bathyscaph, by Theodore Monod, Professeur cm Museum National d'histoire nalurelle, 

 Diredeiir de ilnsfiiid franqais d'Afrique Noire. 



With bathyscaphs at his disposal, the modern zoologist has a device for an " on the spot " 

 descent to the bottom of the sea. There he can watch abyssal fishes with his own eyes. Undoubt- 

 edly, these machines will be improved and so should the research methods of the biologist who 

 is called to work under such unusual conditions. But right now a new era is opening up — the 

 exploration of the submarine land surface. 



In 1954, I was privileged to take part in the first scientific dives of the bathyscaph 

 F. N. R. S. 3, which was piloted by Commander Houot. 



Although the mid-water fireworks are quite spectacular, these will not be our present 

 concern. But we are slowly approaching the bottom and soon resting on it. What will it 

 look like in the beams of our powerful head-light? 



First surprise : instead of a soft ooze — a kind of " soup " or "tapioca" that one had 

 imagined — the bottom is obviously relatively compact and unyielding. The kind of track 

 made by the guide-rope, the behaviour of small piles of ballast released from the bathyscaph 

 and the very appearance of the ground with its " mole-hills " all bear witness to this fact. 

 When all is said and done, it looks much the same as freshly tilled land. 



Second surprise, which will undoubtedly explain the first. Down here, at depths of 

 750 fathoms, is a current — a current strong enough to bear a stream of passively drifting 

 animals past the port-hole (of our bathyscaph). But here is something especially interesting; 

 bottom-dwelling fishes, more or less " tied " to the ground. For instance, a great ray (genus 

 Raja); some dark purple-grey sharks about 3 to 5 feet in length (Cenlroscymnus, perhaps); 

 dark brown gadids (Pliysiculus or Brosmicuhis? ) ; a heavy thick-set greyish fish (undoubtedly 

 a brotulid); a small, slender, silvery species, with a thread-like tail (perhaps a S/y/op/iorus^. 

 Lastly, there are Benlhosaunis resting on the bottom and facing the current, which throws their 

 long, whiplike tails into a series of waves. 



At an appointed time these animals gently work loose from the ooze, and allow themselves 

 to be wafted backwards by the current. Backing out of the spot lit by our head-lights, they 

 disappear into the night. 



General comments: none of the fishes we saw seemed attracted — or in any way repelled — 

 by the strange glare of our lights. They appeared to be quite indifferent. 1 admit to feeling 

 a little " annoyed " for a time; that man takes all the trouble to go to them only to find that 

 this utterly novel event means very little in their lives. These abyssal fishes are hardly polite... 



T. M. 

 172 



