DEEP-SEA RESEARCHES. 91 



fruit. For it led them to take a very special interest in 

 the discovery, by Professor Sars, the Superintendent of the 

 Fisheries to the Swedish Government, of a stalked Crinoid 

 living at a depth of three hundred fathoms, near the 

 Lofoden Islands. This little form, which had received 

 the name Rhizocrinus, was recognized as the living repre 

 sentative of a family of stalked Crinoids, which was abun 

 dantly represented in the Oolitic rocks, and less so in the 

 chalk, but had apparently become extinct in later geological 

 times. The discovery of a member of this group, living in 

 European seas, was therefore of the highest significance 

 to the two English students of the Crinoidca ; and it sug 

 gested to Professor Thomson, in 1868, the idea that the 

 British Government might be induced to promote the 

 scientific exploration of the deep sea between the Shetlands 

 and the Faroe Islands. This proposition was promptly laid 

 by Dr. Carpenter before the Council of the Royal Society, 

 who in their turn made application to the Government. 

 The season was already advanced, but a vessel was allotted 

 for the purpose ; Dr. Carpenter was entrusted by the 

 Admiralty with the scientific direction of the expedition, 

 and he was accompanied by Professor Thomson and one of 

 his own sons. 



This was the beginning of the scries of deep-sea re 

 searches, in which for four years Dr. Carpenter bore so 

 conspicuous a part, until they culminated in the despatch 

 of the Challenger on its voyage round the world. These 

 expeditions involved no small amount of work. Special 

 apparatus was necessary for dredging and for temperature- 

 soundings, which was only perfected after various prelimi 

 nary trials. The plan of operations had to be carefully 

 designed in consultation with the authorities of the Ad 

 miralty ; and their results in due course begot reports, 

 which grew both in bulk and in importance with succcs- 



