CHAP, in.] THE CRUISES OF THE f PORCUPINE: 9f) 



and in the afternoon, rapidly passing over the edge 

 of the plateau, we dredged in 725 fathoms with a 

 hottom of muddy sand (Station 36). This is about 

 the bathymetrical horizon at which we find the 

 vitreous Sponges in the northern area ; and although 

 the bottom is here very different, much more sandy 

 with but a slight admixture of globigerina ooze, we 

 Iredged a specimen, tolerably perfect though dead, 

 )f Aphrocallistes bocagei, WRIGHT, a vitreous sponge 

 ately described by Dr. E. Perceval Wright from a 

 specimen procured by Professor Barboza de Bocage 

 rom the Cape- Verde Islands, and one or two small 

 pecimens of Holtenia carpenteri, WY. T. The muddy 

 .and contained a considerable proportion of gravel 

 md dead shells. 



. On Thursday, July 22, the weather was still re- 

 jtiarkably fine. The sea was moderate, with a slight 

 |Well from the north-west. We sounded in lat. 47 38' 

 I, long. 12 08' W., in a depth of 2,435 fathoms 

 Station 37). when the average of the Miller- C a sella 

 hermometers gave a minimum temperature of 

 |'*C. 



As this was about the greatest depth which we had 

 3ason to expect in this neighbourhood, we prepared 

 ) take a cast of the dredge. This operation, rather 

 serious one in such deep water, will be described 

 i detail in another chapter. It was perfectly suc- 

 3ssful. The dredge-bag which was safely hauled 

 i deck at 1 o'clock on the morning of the 23rd, 

 'ter an absence of 7^ hours and a journey of up- 

 ards of eight statute miles, contained li cwt. of 

 iry characteristic grey chalk-mud. The dredge 

 speared to have dipped rather deeply into the 



