LXII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Even tbe tubes of Hyalincecia give support to a peculiar species. The 

 larger ones bold firmly' enougb to tbe mnd bottom since tbey are sub- 

 ject to no wave action. 



One species of sea-pen, Fennatula aculeata Dan., was taken in great 

 abundance on several occasions. A very delicate branching coral, Aca- 

 nella Normani Verrill, often covered tbe net with its orange-red branches. 

 A simple, born -shaped coral, Parasmilia Lyjnani, was secured in speci- 

 mens of great perfection, while another coral of exceeding delicacy was 

 brought up more often broken than perfect. The latter was a species 

 of Flahellmn very similar to one taken by the Challenger expedition. 



Thus far I have spoken only ot the bottom species. The surface and 

 intermediate depths all abound in life. The floating weed at the sur- 

 face conceals among its branches many tishes and crustaceans which 

 remain there for protection. Jelly-tishes are seen in great variety, to- 

 gether with a gigantic iSalpa which sometimes covered the nets so as to 

 obscure the other specimens. But little surface collecting was done, 

 althougb, without doubt, that would prove exceedingly profitable. 



While we consider the life of this region as a whole, some curious 

 questions arise. That of coloration is one. The crustaceans are nearly 

 all brilliautb" colored, but there is no great variety in their tints. Scarlet 

 and vermilion predominate, with some orange-red. The starfishes, too, 

 are gorgeous in their purple and orange. The sea-anemones are pink 

 and orange-red. The sea-pens are deep red. Many fishes also possess 

 the same tints. What is the reason of such gorgeous arraj" 1 Professor 

 Verrill explains it by saying that these colors render the animals in- 

 visible in the great depths. The sunlight in passing through the water 

 loses most of its red and yellow rays by absorption before reaching the 

 bottom, and consequently, as none of the remaining rays could be re- 

 flected from these red and yellow pigments, the animal could not be seen 

 by others in search of prey. He suggests that these colors have been 

 produced by a process of natural selection. 



Phosphorescence, too, is an interesting phenomenon exhibited by 

 many forms of life. The sea-anemones and sea-pens show this most con- 

 spicuously, although many others are also highly phosphorescent. The 

 light given ofl' bj- these is usually bluish or greenish, rarely yellowish. 

 There would seem to be a connection between this fact and the brilliant 

 coloration of the forms previously mentioned. 



The mingling of two apparently distinct faunse on the Gulf Stream 

 slope seems to be due to two causes : the low, uniform temperature and 

 the currents. We find here the contact of a cold polar current with the 

 warm Gulf Stream at a depth which prevents seasonal variations. The 

 bottom temperatures are low enough for arctic forms, and the Gulf 

 Stream has slowly brought up from the West Indies species which have 

 become gradually fitted to their environment. The abundance of life 

 can be accounted for by the rapidity of circulation which keeps the 

 bottom water purer and better fitted for supporting life than is usually 



