99 



beaches are seen beautifully divided into colored zones by the 

 species of Algse peculiar to each. 



The true cause of the appearance of pelagic species above low- 

 water mark is probably to be sought for in the difference of the 

 temperature of the water. 



Certain species require water of a low temperature, which, 

 in the broad and shallow bays of Massachusetts, can only be 

 found far from land and at great depths, while in the cold waters 

 of the Bay of Fundy, the proper temperature may be found close 

 to the surface. 



The water scenery of the region is very striking and beautiful. 

 Long and narrow inlets of the sea run far into the land, and 

 seem more like fresh water lakes and streams, resembling in 

 this, as well as in their great depth and in other particulars, the 

 lochs of Scotland. These inlets are studded with islands, the 

 rocky sides of which are almost perpendicular. The islands are 

 thickly wooded, the trees and boughs often overhanging the 

 water; so that it is possible to glide along under the shade of 

 these trees, while looking down into a depth of twenty or thirty 

 fathoms. The surface of the water in the inlets is quite 

 smooth, and the absence of the heavy roll of the open sea ren- 

 ders dredging very safe and easy. 



The greatest depth reached with the dredge was sixty fathoms, 

 and from this to low water mark all depths were explored. The 

 number of new species, and of species new to our coast thus 

 obtained was very large. Nearly all of these were invertebrates. 

 The most interesting vertebrate obtained was a lamprey of the 

 genus Mycine, a genus new to North America. It is interesting 

 to notice a great similarity of the Fauna of this region and that 

 of Greenland, as described by O. Fabricius and others. The 

 correspondence is very great, especially among the Tunicata 

 and Echinodermata of which the species are nearly the same. 



Mr. Redfield suggested, as an additional cause for the coldness 

 of the water near Nova Scotia, the probable existence of polar 

 currents. He thought there was evidence of such a current 

 extending as far south at least as Cape Hatteras, and underlying 

 the Gulf Stream. 



Mr. Stimpson agreed with Mr. Redfield in his suggestion. It 

 had been thought that the occurrence of certain species of 



