1870.] MISCELLANEOUS. 459 



and Mr. Hunter, was undertaken for the purpose of getting a haul 

 of the dredge in 2500 fathoms of water and thus affording a 

 reasonable ground for belief that, if life existed at that depth, it 

 could have no bathymetrical limits. In Lat. 47" 38 north, and 

 Lon. 12^ 08 AY. Gr. a depth of 2435 fathoms was obtained, and a 

 dredge weighing 225 lbs. was sent down with a heavy weight 

 attached to the line five Imndrcd fathoms from the dredge, in 

 order to make it bite the bottom. This apparatus, attached to 

 3000 fathoms of line, was ten minutes in running out. When 

 hauled in, the dredge contained 150 lbs. of pale gray ooze, 

 containing 23 per cent, of silica, Gl per cent, of carbonate of lime, 

 with some alumina, carbonate of magnesium, and oxide of iron. 

 The animals brought up were, among others, Dentalium n.sp. 

 (large), Pecfen fenesfratus, Dacridium vitreum, Scrobicidaria 

 nitida, Noan-a ohesa, Anonyx Holhollii Kroyer, AmpeJisca 

 aqidcornls Bruzel, Mnnna n.sp., several annelids; Ophiocten 

 Kroyev'i Lutken, Echinocucumis typlca, Sars ; a stalked crinoid 

 allied to Ehizocriniis; Salicornaria, n.sp., two fragments of a 

 hydriod Zoophyte ; numerous foramiuifera, with a branching 

 flexible rhizopod having a chitinous cortex studded with 

 Glohigerina, enclosing a sarcodic medulla of olive green hue; 

 several small sponges belonging to a new group, etc., etc. Another 

 subsequent haul brought up a Pleurotoma n.sp., DentaUum n.sp., 

 and Ojphiocaniha spinulosa, besides others previously mentioned. 

 IMany of the animals were brilliantly phosphortscent and the eyes 

 in species of all classes were well developed, showing that in these 

 abysses light of some kind must exist. The temperature at the 

 bottom in this case was 30*^ 5 Fahr. against 65*^ G Fahr. at the 

 surface. 



The third cruise in charge of Dr. W. B. Carpenter, Prof. 

 Wyville Thompson and Mr. P. Herbert Carpenter, was devoted 

 to the exploration of the icarm and cold areas which had previously 

 been shown to exist between the north of Scotland, the Hebrides, 

 and the Faroe Islands. Space will not admit of even a condensed 

 exhibit of the valuable results obtained on this cruise. 



The most important and valuableof the results of these dredgings, 

 due to the great liberality of the British Government, may be 

 succinctly stated as follows. 



1. It has been practically proved that there is no limit to the 

 existence of animal life as far as depth is concerned, and that the 

 difference in the specific gravity of the water at the surf^ice and 



