134 Generation of Sulphur in 



most remarkable fact, however, was the close association of 

 the oxide of manganese with the work of annelids. It was 

 noticed here for the first time, and produced a strong conviction 

 that the occurrence of peroxide of manganese at the bottom 

 of the sea depended in some way or other on the organic -life 

 existing there. 



After this comparatively little manganese was met with, 

 until, on approaching the south coast of Australia, a large 

 haul was obtained from a depth of 2600 fathoms in lat. 42 42' S., 

 long. 1 34 10' E. and throughout the whole of the Pacific, 

 when the trawl was put over in water sufficiently deep and 

 sufficiently far from land, it rarely failed to collect abundance 

 of manganese nodules, of all shapes and sizes, and surrounding 

 all kinds of nuclei. Concretions also were obtained from time 

 to time, recalling those of the North Atlantic above referred 

 to. Thus, on the plateau of the Kermadec Islands, large 

 lumps of a tufaceous sandstone were brought up, which were 

 much perforated by serpular borings, and these were lined 

 with peroxide of manganese. At the first station after leaving 

 Japan, and on the landward side of the deep gully which 

 runs parallel with the islands, a large haul was obtained, 

 chiefly of pumice, tuff, and volcanic mud concretions. These 

 were much perforated by worms, and the holes were lined 

 with black oxide of manganese. One concretion was broken 

 open in the plane of one of the worm-holes, and the worm was 

 found dead in it 1 . On another portion a dead worm was found 

 adhering, and on removing it a black stain was found below it 

 consisting of peroxide of manganese. The connection of the 

 peroxide of manganese with the life of these animals was very 

 marked in this case, and continued to occupy my attention 

 from time to time, though without arriving at any satisfactory 

 solution, during the cruise. It must not be forgotten that an 

 invariable feature of the nodules was that they gave off 

 abundance of alkaline and empyreumatic-smelling water on 

 being heated, which served further to connect them with the 

 organic world. 



After the return of the "Challenger" I did a good deal of 

 1 The body of this worm was tested and found free from manganese. 



