[93] ALBATROSS EXPLORATIONS. 595 
each side, with a pair of long curved appendages on the sides of the 
head. Some singular forms of Turbellarian worms have also been 
taken, one of which is about 2 inches long, and flat, with a pair of long 
lateral appendages extending back from the head. Its color in life was 
orange. 
The Protozoa are also well represented by various species of Radio- 
laria and Foraminifera. Among the latter are several small species of 
Globigerina and allied genera that are nearly always taken in the sur- 
face nets, and the shells of these are also among the most abundant of 
those that constitute the “‘ Globigerina ooze” of the bottom. 
It is certain that all this vast assemblage of surface-life must be con- 
stantly dying and sinking to the bottom, thus furnishing food for the 
numerous inhabitants of the deep sea, directly or indirectly. Although 
these soft-bodied creatures would quickly decay in water so warm as the 
surface of the Gulf Stream, it is necessary to remember that at the depth 
of less than 150 fathoms the temperature falls to about 40° F., so that 
decomposition would go on very slowly after they had fallen to that 
depth. However, itis probable that such creatures begin to sink into the 
cold depths as soon as they are injured or weakened in any way, and 
thus they would reach the cold zone before life is extinct. In fact it 
may be that the cold itself in most cases is the actual or immediate 
cause of the death of those weakened or partially disabled creatures 
that are unable to keep their places at the surface. Asa matter of fact, 
Ihave taken from the stomachs of bottom-dwelling creatures, like Acti- 
niz and star-fishes, various surface animals, including Saipa and Lepas, 
which showed no signs of decomposition. Yet it is estimated that it 
would take several days for such things to sink to the bottom in 2,000 
fathoms. 
- Hitherto we have not met with small forms of plant life in the Gulf 
Stream inany abundance. The microscopic plant life seems to be much 
less abundant there than near the coast. In fact, the small amount of 
such organisms hitherto observed seems to indicate that the vast numbers 
of the small forms of animal life cannot depend mainly upon plants for 
their primary food-supply, and renders it more than probable that many 
of the Protozoa, at least, are capable of deriving their food directly from 
inorganic matter to a large extent, if not entirely. It is not necessary 
to believe that this power is restricted to the vegetable kingdom, but 
this question needs farther investigation. 
PRELIMINARY LIST OF ACALEPHA COLLECTED BY THE “ALBATROSS” 
IN 1883 IN THE REGION OF THE GULF STREAM. 
By J. W. FEWKES. 
The following list inclndes nearly all the species obtained in 1883, 
with the exception of various minute hydroid gonophores, which have 
not yet been studied, and a few species too imperfectly preserved for 
