CHAP, vi.] DEEP-SEA D HEDGING. 273 



known species, came up in such a condition as to 

 leave no room for doubt that it had been broken 

 off the rock or stone to which it was adherent by 

 the sounding-machine, and that the animal was 

 living ; whilst a smaller Serpula and a cluster of 

 apparently living polyzoa were adherent to its ex- 

 ternal surface. A minute Spirorbis also occurred in 

 this sounding. Lastly, from a depth of 445 fathoms, 

 within a short distance of the south coast of Iceland, 

 a couple of living amphipod crustaceans were ob- 

 tained, and a filamentous annelid about three-quarters 

 of an inch in length." Basing his opinion principally 

 upon these facts, Dr. Wallich, in conclusion, submits 

 several propositions, the two most important of which 

 may be said to anticipate the more remarkable results 

 of our subsequent work. As the others are merely 

 founded upon what I conceive to be a mistaken 

 determination of the animal species captured, I need 

 not now quote them. 1 



" 1. The conditions prevailing at great depths, 

 although differing materially from those which pre- 

 vail at the surface of the ocean, are not incompatible 



with the maintenance of animal life. 



* * * * # * * 



"5. The discovery of even a single species, living 

 normally at great depths, warrants the inference that 

 the deep sea has its own special fauna, and that it has 

 always had it in ages past ; and hence that many 

 fossiliferous strata heretofore regarded as having been 



1 And see Professor Sars' " Bemoerkningen over (let dyriske Livs 

 Udbredning i Havets Dybder, med scerligt Hensyn til et af. Dr. 

 Wallich i London mylig udkommet Skrift, ' The ^s r orth Atlantic Sea- 

 be*J.' " (Vid.-Selsk. Forhaiidlinger for 1864.) 



T 



