


A, FE. Verrill—Mollusea of the New England Coast. 397 
accordance with the generally accepted theories of the nature of the 
deposits far from land. 
The bottom between 600 and 2000 fathoms, in other regions, has 
generally been found to consist mainly of “ globigerina ooze,” or, as 
in some parts of the West Indian seas, of a mixture of globigerina 
and pteropod ooze. Off our northern coasts, however, although 
there is a more or less impure globigerina ooze, at such depths, in 
most localities beneath the Gulf Stream, this is by no means always 
the case. The ooze is always mixed with some sand and frequently 
with much clay-mud. 
In a number of instances* the bottom between 500 and 1200 
fathoms has been found to consist of tough and compact clay, so 
thoroughly hardened that many large angular masses, sometimes 
weighing more than fifty pounds, have been brought up in the trawl, 
and have not been washed away appreciably, notwithstanding the 
rapidity with which they have been drawn up through about two 
miles of water. In fact, these masses of hard clay resemble large 
angular blocks of stone, but when cut with a knife they have a con- 
sistency somewhat like hard castile soap, and in sections are mottled 
with lighter and darker tints of dull green, olive, and «bluish gray. 
When dried they develop cracks and break up into angular frag- 
ments. This material is genuine clay, mixed with more or less sand, 
showing under the microscope grains of quartz and feldspar with 
some scales of mica. More or less of the shells of Globigerina and 
other Foraminifera are contained in the clay, but they make up a 
very small percentage of the material. 
In other localities, in 1000 to 1600 fathoms,} the bottom is covered 

* The following are some of the special localities where these clay masses were 
taken: 
Station 2192, in 1060 fathoms, N. lat. 39° 46” 30", W. long. 70° 14’ 45". Large 
blocks of sandy clay, some weighing about 100 pounds. It was estimated that about 
a ton was brought up. 
Station 2230, in 1168 fathoms, N. lat. 38° 27’, W. long. 73° 02’. Large quantity of 
masses of hard, but sticky greenish blue clay, some masses varying to yellowish and 
buff colors. 
Station 2171, in 444 fathoms, N. lat. 37° 59730", W. long. 73° 48’ 40”. Large 
lumps of bluish gray sandy mud. 
+ The following are some of the localities where such materials occurred: 
Station 2208, in 1178 fathoms, N. lat. 39° 33’, W. long. 71° 167 15". Large quanti- 
ties of hard, crusty ferruginous clay. Also a rounded granite bowlder, weighing over 
20 pounds. 
Station 2228, in 1582 fathoms, N. lat. 37° 25’, W. long. 73° 06’. Large quantity 
