306 THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA. [CHAP. vn. 



channel between Scotland and the Eaeroe plateau ; 

 and giving, respectively, the temperatures of -l'l, 

 -l-2, -0-7, and -0*5C. No. 9, with a depth of 

 170 fathoms" and a temperature of 5 C., is excep- 

 tional; it is apparently the top of a circumscribed 

 ridge or bank. We dredged at this station and got 

 large numbers of the rare and beautiful Terebratula 

 cranium ; but when we tried for the same spot in the 

 following year in the ' Porcupine/ we could not find 

 it. On the 6th of September we sounded and took 

 temperatures in lat. 59 36' N., long. 7 20' W., in 

 530 fathoms, when the mean of three thermometers, 

 which only differed from one another by about '3 

 of a degree, gave a bottom temperature of 6'4 C. 

 A temperature sounding, at the moderate depth of 

 189 fathoms, was taken on the morning of the 7th 

 September in lat. 59 5' N., long. 7 29' W., and 

 gave a bottom temperature of 9'6 C. The three 

 soundings, Nos. 13, 14, and 17, at the depths 650, 

 570, and 620 fathoms, extending into the North 

 Atlantic as far westward as long. 12 36' W., gave 

 a bottom temperature of 5 0< 8, 6'4, and 6'6 C., 

 respectively. 



The general result of these observations we could 

 not but regard as very remarkable. The region 

 which we had somewhat imperfectly examined in- 

 cluded, in the first place, the channel about a couple 

 of hundred miles in width, with an extreme depth 

 of rather under 600 fathoms, extending between the 

 northern boundary-line of the British plateau and 

 the shoal which culminates in the Pseroe Islands 

 and their extensive banks ; and secondly, a small 

 portion of the North Atlantic extending westwards 



