On Dredyings and Deep-sea Soundings. 235 



" The souudings aud dredgings while we were among the ice in 

 1675, 1800, 1300, and 1975 fathoms, gave another totally distinct 

 deposit of yellowish clay, with pebbles and small stones, and a con- 

 siderable admixtnre of Diatoms, Eadiolarians, and Ghbigerince. 

 The clay and pebbles were evidently a sediment from the melting 

 icebergs ; and the Diatoms, Eadiolarians, and ForamLnifera were 

 from the surface-waters. 



"The bottom from 1950 fathoms, on our way to Australia from 

 the Antarctic, was again exactly similar to that obtained iu the 

 1260-fathoms sounding south of Heard Island, The bottom at 

 1800 fathoms, a little further to the north (lat. 50° 1' S., long. 

 123° 4' E,), was again pure ' Ghbigerinci-ooze,' composed of Orbu- 

 Unce, Ghbigerince, and Pulvinulince. 



" The bottom at 2150 fathoms (lat. 47° 25' S., long. 130° 32' E.) 

 was similar to the last, with a reddish tinge ; and that at 2600 

 fathoms (lat. 42° 42' S., long 134° 10' E.) was reddish clay, the 

 same which we got at like depths in the Atlantic, aud contained 

 manganese nodules and much-decomposed Foraminifera." 



Mr. Murray has been induced, by the obser\'ations which have 

 been made in the Atlantic, to combine the use of the towing-net, 

 at various depths from the surface to 150 fathoms, with the 

 examination of the samples from the soimdings. And this double 

 work has led him to a conclusion in which I am now forced entirely 

 to concur, although it is certainly contrary to my former ojiinion — 

 that the bulk of the material of the bottom in deep water is, in all 

 cases, derived from the surface. 



Mr. Murray has demonstrated the presence of Ghbigerince, 

 PulvinuUna', and Orbulince throughout all the upper layers of the 

 sea over the whole of the area where the bottom consists of " Gh- 

 bigerina-ooze " or of the red clay produced by the decomposition of 

 the shells of Foraminifera ; and their appearance when living on 

 the surface is so totally different from that of the shells at the 

 bottom, that it is impossible to doubt that the latter, even although 

 they frequently contain organic matter, are all dead. I mean this 

 to refer only to the genera mentioned above, which practically 

 form the ooze. Many other Foraminifera undoubtedlyjive, in com- 

 paratively small numbers, along with animals of higher groups, on 

 the bottom. 



In the extreme south the conditions were so severe as greatly to 

 interfere with all work. We had no arrangement for heating the 

 work-rooms ; and at a temperature which averaged for some days 

 25° F., the instruments became so cold that it was unpleasant to 

 handle them, and the vapour of the breath condensed and froze 

 at once upon glass and brass work. Dredging at the considerable 

 depths which we found near the Antarctic Circle became a severe 

 and somewhat critical operation, the gear being stiffened and other- 

 wise affected by the cold ; and we could not repeat it often. 



The evening of the 23rd of February was i*emarkably fine and 

 calm; and it was arranged to dredge on the following morning. 

 The weather changed somewhat during the night, and the wind 



16* 



