176 THE SEA. 



Globigerince, were detected in abundance as alimen- 

 tary matter, corroborates the evidence I have obtained 

 from other facts as to the normal habitat of the latter 

 organisms being on the immediate surface-layer of 

 the deeper oceanic deposits, and not in the substance 

 of the superincumbent waters. At the same time it 

 substantiates the truth of the star-fishes having been 

 captured on their natural feeding ground. 



" I also detected, in a sounding made at 1913 

 fathoms, a number of small tubes, varying in length 

 from one-sixteenth to a quarter of an inch, and about 

 a line in diameter, which, on being viewed under the 

 microscope, turned out to be almost entirely built up 

 of young Globigerince shells, cemented side by side, 

 just as we find to be the case in the tubular cells of 

 some of the cephalobranchiate Annelids, where sandy 

 or shelly particles are employed in their formation. 

 There can hardly be a doubt, therefore, that some 

 minute creature, probably an Annelid, lives down at 

 this enormous depth, and feeds on the soft parts of 

 the Foraminifera, whilst he houses himself with their 

 calcareous shells. As yet I have been unable to 

 determine the nature of these creatures, but hope to 

 be enabled to succeed on a more lengthened survey of 

 the material in which they occur. 



" Lastly, I would mention having met with the 

 minute bodies termed ' Coccoliths ' by Professor 

 Huxley. They occur in vast numbers, associated 

 with larger cell-like bodies, on the surface of which 

 Coccoliths are arranged at regular intervals, so as to 



