1897J MICROSCOPICAL J0UR1N"AL. 89 



On Soundings from the Pacific Ocean. 



Bv ARTHUR M. EDWARDS, M. D. 



NEWARK, N. J. 



Ill February, 1877, there were submitted to me by the 

 California Academy of Science certain soundings brought 

 home by Commander Greorge E. Belknap of the U. S. 8. 

 "Tuscarura" whicli were taken in the Pacific Ocean withan 

 understanding that I should make a microscopical exam- 

 ination of them and submit a report thereon. Being 

 called away to the Eastern coast by illness, I was unable 

 to do so until lately. I then made a partial report be- 

 cause I had already made certain discoveries that the 

 soundings brought to light. A fuller report has waited 

 the obtaining of further samples. The discoveries made 

 and herein suggested, bear on the soundings from the At- 

 lantic Ocean, as well as the Neocene rocks of California 

 aud also of the Eastern coast of North America and else- 

 where. The report made was only temporary, (First) 

 because of the imperfect state the specimens were in, 

 being dry and old; and (Secondly) because they are so 

 incomplete, there being many in the list which I will 

 detail further, and which at this time I do not have^ and 

 (Thirdly) because this branch of science is in a very un- 

 satisfactory state. Hence a report at the present time 

 must be to a certain extent unsatisfactory. But their ex- 

 amination does not interfere with the discovery which I 

 have now to report and which may seem important. 



The specimens werf one hundred and eighty-four in 

 number and will be described in detail hereafter. 



Lately I came across a thin volume, which is called : 

 "Synopsis of the cruise of theU. S. S. Tuscarora from the 

 date of her commission to her arrival in San Francisco, 

 Cal., Sept. 2, 1874. Compiled by Henry Cummings, 

 San Francisco, 1874." This gave me a list of all the 

 soundings made. They are from Cape Flattery to San 



