2^6 CLASSIFIED RESUME OF ORGANISMS OBSERVED 



Phylum COELENTERATA 

 Class HYDROZOA 



Order siphonophora 



Siphonophores were seen on nearly every bathysphere 

 descent, and at almost every hundred-foot level from loo 

 to 3000 feet. 



Correct identification of this group was especially diffi- 

 cult, as Calyconid nectophores — one of the commonest 

 forms of plankton in our trawling nets — were difficult to 

 distinguish from small, single salpse, since their relatively 

 short chains of food and reproductive polyps were usually 

 indistinct. On the other hand, it is probable that many 

 of the innumerable, short, beaded strings, which were fre- 

 quently seen in the beam, were these very strings of polyps, 

 their transparent nectophores being completely invisible. 

 The more complicated types of siphonophores, however, 

 were readily referable to that group, although their fam- 

 ilies could not be determined with any certainty. 



At least a dozen of these large forms were observed. 

 My impressions and similes were of course instantaneous, 

 inspired as are the labels on pyrotechnic fireworks, the 

 sparks and flashes from these artificial displays being desig- 

 nated as vases of flowers, fountains, water wheels, etc. I 

 find I have used such terms as inverted lilies-of-the-valley 

 and narrow Christmas trees. Rarely, the entire outline was 

 luminous, and a larger lighted mass at the top indicated the 

 float, filled with its delicately adjusted amount of gas, 



