15G SATURDAY LECTURES. 



research." In 1870, the Porcupine was again sent out by 

 the British Government, and, under the supervision of 

 Jeffreys and Carpenter, work was done between Britain and 

 Gibraltar, and thence into the Mediterranean. 



In 1871 the Coast fSurvey hiunched a new steamer, the 

 Blake, especially adapted for hydrographic work in the 

 deep sea, which, under the command of Lieut. Commander 

 Howell, at once began work in the Gulf of Mexico. Another 

 steamer, the Hassler, for work on the Pacific coast, was pre- 

 pared, and sailed for California via Cape Horn with Prof. 

 Agassiz, Pourtales, Dr. Thos. Hill, Dr. Franz Steindachner 

 and others, as a scientific corps. Much natural history 

 work was done, but deep-sea ^vork was rendered impracti- 

 cable by unforeseen circumstances after the voyage began. 

 In 1872 the voyage of the Challenger, now of world-wide 

 celebrity, was begun under the scientific supervision of Sir 

 Wyville Thomson and the naval superintendence of Capt. 

 Sir G. Nares, R. X. This voyage extended to both oceans; 

 soundings were made to 4,475 fathoms, dredgings to 3,875 

 fathoms, and the trawl was used in over 3,000 fathoms. 

 This expedition occupied three years and five months, and 

 the scientific results are being published by the British 

 Government in a magnificent series of quarto volumes. 

 During the year 1872 the Coast Survey continued its syste- 

 matic development of the hydrography of the Gulf of Mex- 

 ico and the adjacent sea, the dredgings being taken under 

 the supervision of Dr. W. Stimpson. They formed the last 

 scientific work of that lamented iiaturalist, whose dredgings 

 and investigation of the marine fauna of the Eastern United 

 States had extended over twenty years. 



The deep water work of the United States Fish Commis- 

 sion, organized during the preceding year, began this season, 

 and has steadily grown in importance and extent from year 

 to year, under the direction of Prof S. F. Baird and the im- 

 mediate supervision of Prof A. E. Verrill. 



In 1873 Capt. Geo. E. Belknap, U. S. N., undertook his 

 now celebrated sounding cruise across the North Pacific, in 

 the U. S. S. Tuscarora. No dredging was done, though sev- 



