DEEP-SEA FISH. 15 



* The greatest depth hitherto reached by a dredge in 

 which fish were enclosed in 2900 fathoms." It seems 

 however doubtful whether this fish was caught at the 

 bottom, or enclosed by the dredge in its ascent, because 

 the fish was one known to be found at moderate depths, 

 but "the next greatest depth, 2650 fathoms, must be 

 accepted as one at which fishes do undoubtedly live. 

 The fish obtained from this depth in the Atlantic 

 (Bathyophis Ferox] showing by its whole habit that it 

 is a form living on the bottom of the ocean." * 



It may appear presumptuous for anyone to venture 

 to lay down the law on so doubtful a point, but we 

 humbly conceive that, reasoning from analogy, it would 

 certainly appear probable, that fish do, as a matter of 

 fact, exist everywhere, even in the profoundest depths 

 of the ocean. Experience shows that the conclusions 

 adduced from reasoning by analogy often lead to won- 

 derfully accurate results; the argument in this case 

 of course being that " Whereas the Creator has peopled 

 every known region with various forms of life, and 

 has specially adapted each to its own peculiar condi- 

 tions of existence that therefore He has in like man- 

 ner peopled the immense profundity of the ocean floor 

 with its special forms of fish-life also." And the 

 author is free to confess that he cannot resist the con- 

 clusion that further investigations will undoubtedly one 

 day prove that fish exist everywhere throughout the 

 ocean. The results of the Challenger Expedition, though 

 some may hold that they do not, as yet, conclusively 

 establish the truth of this theory, go at least a long 

 way towards it. 



It seems to be one of the weaknesses of human 



* Encycl. Brit., gth edit., Vol. xii., p. 685 (Art. "Ichthyology ". 



