234 Royal Society : — 



Gasteropoda 4 occasions. 



Cephalopoda 3 ,, 



Teleostei 6 



It is of course impossible to determine the species with the 

 books of reference at our command ; but many of them are new 

 to science, and some are of great interest from their relation to 

 groups supposed to be extinct. This is particularly the case 

 with the Echinodermata, which are here, as in the deep water in 

 the north, a very prominent group. 



During the present cruise special attention has been paid to the 

 nature of the bottom, and to any facts which might throw light 

 upon the source of its materials. 



This department has been chiefly in the hands of Mr. Murray ; 

 and I have pleasure in referring to the constant industry and care 

 which he has devoted to the preparation, examination, and storing 

 of samples. I extract from Mr. Murray's notes : — 



" In the soundings about the Agulhas bank, in 100 to 150 

 fathoms, the bottom was of a greenish colour, and contained many 

 crystalline particles (some dark-coloured and some clear) of Eora- 

 minifera, species of Orbulina, Globigerina, and Pulvinulina, a pretty 

 species of Uvigerina, Planorbulina, Miliolina, Bulimina, and Num- 

 mulina. There were very few Diatoms. 



" In the deep soundings and dredgings before reaching the 

 Crozets, in 1900, 1570, and 1375 fathoms, the bottom was com- 

 posed entirely of Orbulina, Globigerina, and Pulvinulina, the same 

 species which we get on the surface, but all of a white colour and 

 dead. Of Eoraminifera which we have not got on the surface 

 I noticed one Rotalia and one Polgstomella, both dead. Some Coc- 

 coliths and Khabdoliths were also found in the samples from these 

 soundings. On the whole, these bottoms were, I think, the purest 

 carbonate of lime we have ever obtained. When the soundings 

 were placed in a bottle and shaken up with water, the whole 

 looked like a quantity of sago. The Pulvinulina} were smaller 

 than in the dredgings in the Atlantic. We had no soundings 

 between the Crozets and Kerguelen. 



" The specimens of the bottom about Kerguelen were all from 

 depths from 120 to 20 fathoms, and consisted usually of dark 

 mud, with an offensive sulphurous smell. Those obtained furthest 

 from land were made up almost entirely of matted sponge-spicules. 



In these soundings one species of Rotalina and one other Fora- 

 minifer occurred. 



" At 150 fathoms, between Kerguelen and Heard Island, the 

 bottom was composed of basaltic pebbles. The bottom at Heard 

 Island was much the same as at Kerguelen. 



" The sample obtained from a depth of 1260 fathoms, south of 

 Heard Island, was quite different from any thing we had previously 

 obtained. It was one mass of Diatoms, of many species, and, 

 mixed with these, a few small Globigerina' and Eadiolarians and 

 a very few crystalline particles. 



