64 



very fine specimens of Yoldia Umatula, not previously known as a 

 Norwegian species, but obtained from Spitzbergen and North America. 

 At the Vigten Islands, on the 4th, I met with a dead specimen of 

 Cyprcea Europwa, which I do not believe to be found further north, also 

 Margarita cinerea, of ^vhich this is probably the extreme southern limit 

 in the European seas. On the 6th of August I had down the dredge, 

 which appeared only just to touch the bottom with 250 fathoms of 

 line, when suddenly it began to take hold very hard, appearing to 

 travel up the side of a steep rock. Upon hauling it up, it was found 

 to contain four large cream-coloured masses of siliceous sponge, one of 

 them bearing some resemblance to a man's head, only larger, with short 

 hair. On reaching home, I sent them to my friend, Mr. Bowerbauk, 

 ■who, by the labour and study he has devoted to the subject, has consti- 

 tuted himself the best authority upon the Spongiadce. He declared 

 them to be the most interesting objects he had met with of the family, 

 that they were of two, if not three species, all quite new, of the 

 extremely rare genus Oeodia, and that the examination of them has 

 thrown additional light on, and established new facts with reference to, 

 the organisation of this the lowest form of animal life, at variance with 

 the opinions previously entertained. In company with these remark- 

 able sponges came up a fine live specimen of Lima excavata, its 

 dimensions truly gigantic, being 5^ inches by 4^ inches, larger than those 

 in the cabinet of Mr. Gumming and of the British Museum, which are 

 the only specimens I am acquainted with ; also Area nodiilosa, &c. 



We reached our anchorage at Drontheim, in the afternoon of the 8th 

 of August, when we learned that during the eight weeks that we had 

 been absent, not a drop of rain had fallen, and the heat had been 

 extreme, greater than had been experienced within the memory of the 

 oldest inhabitant, represented by an individual 90 years of age. Not 

 a particle of snow could now be seen from the town or anchorage ; the 

 river Nid, which at the time of pur former visit overflowed its banks, 

 ■was now shrunk far within its channel, and the numerous beautiful 

 cascades which then adorned the sides of the mountains had disap- 

 peared. The harvest -was now at its height through the neighbouring 

 district, the fields where the corn was out presenting a singular appear- 

 ance, from its being the custom to suspend the sheaves upon poles to 

 expedite the process of drying. 



We sailed from Drontheim on the 10th of August, but it was the 

 evening of the 13th before we were fairly out at sea ; passed a remarkable 

 group of rocks called the Grib Hoeleu, which extend a considerable 

 distance. We ■v^ere surprised to see on the largest of them a village of 

 many houses, with a church, as it seemed liable to be swept away by 



