Clifton College Scientific Society. 85 



the deposition of the Chalk, This view was supported by the 

 discovery of living representatives of tlie Chalk fossils. 



The general question of the conditions of existence of animal 

 life in the abyssal depths was then discussed. It was pointed out 

 that, although the pressure of the water was so enormous, it was 

 equal in all directions, and that the water permeated the entire 

 bodies of all the animals (none of them possessing any air 

 sacs), so that it was fair to infer that the pressure was not felt, 

 just as the 14 lb. per square inch atmospheric pressure on tlie 

 human body is not perceptible. The power of some marine 

 worms to endure a pressure in water of three tons to tlie squaie 

 inch, had been submitted to the test of direct experiment in a 

 hydraulic press, and the animals were uninjured. The con- 

 ditions of their respiration were then alluded to. The speaker 

 stated that it had been a part of his duty to analyse the 

 specimens of abyssal water for the gases dissolved in it. The 

 general result of a long series of analyses showed that there 

 existed close to the bottom of the sea a very large percentage of 

 dissolved carbonic acid (amounting to 60 per cent, of the tot;d 

 gaseous constituents in some instances), while the proportion in 

 surface water rarely exceeded 25 per cent. The quantity of this 

 gas appeared to vary with the abundance of animal life, and was 

 also greater in southern than in northern waters. It was al^o 

 pointed out that many of the lowest kinds of animals living on 

 the sea-bottom probably absorbed their food from a state of solu- 

 tion in the water through the general surface of their bodies ; and 

 some of the speaker's researches had tended to confirm this view, 

 since they demonstrated the existence of organic matter in the 

 oceanic depths in a state easy to be assimilated — a sort of diluted 

 protoplasm, in fact. The question of the penetration of light to 

 the sea-bottom was touched upon, and the probability of its reach- 

 ing thus far was supported by the fact that tlie higher kinds of 

 animals dredged up from even the greatest depths, were furnished 

 with eyes, and endowed with the most brilliant tints. 



In conclusion, the lecturer said that it had been his wish to 

 stimulate thought and inquiry upon this and kindred subjects. 



The lecture was illustrated with numerous diagrams, lent for 

 the occasion by Dr W. B. Carpenter, F.R.S., of the University 

 of London. 



At the close of the lecture the Eev. Prebendary Percival thanked 

 Mr Carpenter, in the name of the meeting, for the very interesting 

 and suggestive lecture they had just heard from him. Mr Car- 

 penter, in acknowledging the compliment, said that if the lecture 



