1874.] Dr edgings and Deep-sea Soundings. 425 



In nine successful dredgings, at depths beyond 1000 fathoms, between 

 the Cape and Australia : 



Sponges were met with on 6 occasions. 



Anthozoa Octactinia 7 



Polyactinia 6 



Crinoidea 4 



Asteroidea 8 



Ophiuridea 9 



Echinidea 



Holothuridea 8 



Bryozoa 6 



Tunicata 5 



Sipunculacea 3 



Nernatodes 1 



Annelida 8 



(Myzostomutn) 2 



Balanoglossus 1 



Cirripedia 4 



Ostracoda 1 



Isopoda 7 



Amphipoda 3 



Schizopoda 5 



Decapoda Macrura 6 



Brachyura 2 



Pycnogonida 2 



Lamellibranchiata 5 



Brachiopoda 2 



Gasteropoda 4 ,, 



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 ex- 

 tract 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 par- 



2*2 



