CHAP. Iv. ] ST. THOMAS TO BERMUDAS. 239 
CHAPTER IV. 
ST. THOMAS TO BERMUDAS. 
Dredging in Moderate Depths in the West Indian Seas.—New Blind Crustaceans.— 
Deep-sea Corals.—Hyalonema toxeres.—An Accident.—A Deep Sounding.—The 
Miller - Casella Thermometers.—Temperatures.—Arrival at Bermudas.—History 
of the Islands.—Their General Appearance.—“ Red” and “Blue” Birds.—The 
Corals which form the Reefs.—The Geology of Bermudas.—General Nelson’s 
Description. — Holian Rocks. — Calcareous Concretions simulating Fossils.— 
The Topography of the Islands.—Their Products.—Their Climate.—Their Vege- 
tation. . 
Appendix A. — Report from Professor Abel, F.R.S., to H. E. General Lefroy, C.B., 
F.R.S., on the Character and Composition of Samples of Soil from Bermudas. 
Apprenpix B.—Abstract of Temperature—observations taken at Bermudas from the 
year 1855 to the year 1873. 
On Saturday, the 15th of March, before going into the har- 
bor of St. Thomas, a sounding was taken in 450 fathoms off the 
island of Sombrero. The bottom brought up by the sounding- 
machine was glcbigerina mud largely mixed with broken shells, 
chiefly those of pteropods. The dredge was put over early, and 
veered to 1000 fathoms. At noon it was hauled up half filled 
with calcareous ooze. It was again sent down, and brought up 
in the afternoon with a like freight. These dredgings, which 
we did not regard as entering into the regular work of the 
sections, but which were only undertaken to give us a general 
idea of the deep-water fauna of the West Indian province, may 
be taken in connection with one or two hauls made with the 
same object, and under the same circumstances, in water of 
nearly equal depths, on the 25th of March, after leaving St. 
Thomas. The careful examination of the zone between 300 
and 1200 fathoms among the West Indian islands will undoubt- 
