4 G. O. SARS. CRUSTACEA. [NORW. POL. EXP. 



could only be quite a shallow sea, with depths scarcely exceeding some 

 hundred fathoms, and the zoological equipment of the 'Fram' Expedition was 

 arranged in accordance therewith. But in direct contradiction to this generally 

 adopted view, that part of the Polar Sea through which the 'Fram' drifted 

 with the ice, proved to be everywhere of enormous depth, exceeding in this 

 respect even the Norwegian Sea. The quantity of hemp-rope at hand was 

 quite insufficient for dredging or trawling in such depths, and, indeed, it 

 was a matter of no little trouble to find a means of ascertaining the depth 

 with exactness. For this purpose it was necessary to make up from the 

 wire-ropes of the 'Fram' a provisional sounding-line of sufficient length 

 and consisting of thin steel-wire. To the end of this line, which of course 

 was far from being strong enough for dredging operations, was appended in 

 some instances a heavy water-bottle, in others an ordinary lead, and in the 

 latter case a sample of the bottom was always brought up together with the 

 lead. But on a preliminary examination, scarcely any traces of organisms 

 could ever be detected in this material, and it must be concluded from this 

 that there is at least very little animal life on the bottom in this part of 

 the ocean. On the other hand, it is a very remarkable fact, that the more 

 superficial strata of the sea, though almost perpetually covered with a layer 

 of ice, through which comparatively small, temporary openings occur in the 

 shape of channels and lanes, were found to abound with life at all times of 

 the year, and even to the most northerly latitudes reached. It is very prob- 

 able, too, that the pelagic animals observed are not strictly confined to the 

 more superficial strata of the sea, but that they also at times descend to 

 considerable depths, perhaps even to the strata immediately covering the 

 bottom. In many cases the tow-net was lowered to depths exceeding 200 or 

 300 metres, and, as a rule, the draught was considerably richer in such 

 instances, than when it was working in smaller depths. Moreover, the 

 peculiar Amphipode described below as Cyclocaris Guilelmi Chevreux, was 

 found several times clinging to the sounding-line at only a short distance 

 above the water-bottle, which was hauled up from depths between 500 and 

 1000 metres. The imperfect development of the visual organs in this form, 

 and likewise in some of the other pelagic animals observed, would also seem 

 to point to abyssal habits. 



