BED OF THE ATLANTIC. 9 



While in the deeper waters, and the level bottom of the Atlantic, calcareous 

 shells of various forms of Foraminiferae, silieious discs of the Polycystina a 

 variety of Cosciuodiscus and Cocconeis was found, and it is not improbable that 

 here the lowest orders of animal forms are represented by the Foraminiferse 

 and Polycystina, and that the Coscinodiscus and Cocconeis represent those of 

 plants. 



At so great an abyssal depth of nearly three miles it is a subject of wonder 

 how these masses of Foraminiferaa exist, under the many difficulties of absence 

 of light, heat, air, &c., and subject to the enormous pressure of nearly 2i tons on 

 the square inch. We have yet to learn on what these creatures exist ! 



From the greater depths, 2000 fathoms, were brought up skeletons of 

 carbonate of lime and of silex ; many of the latter contained Diatornaceae in an 

 unbroken and very perfect state, chiefly 



Coscinodiscus, of various species ; 

 Nitzschia ; 

 Epitheroia ; 



Synedra, of various forms ; 

 Xanthiopyxis ; 

 Asterolampra ; 

 with other forms not described before, but here figured. 



The Euodia Chimmoensis, a new species, which has been fully described in the 

 " Proceedings of the Dublin Microscopic Society ;" but one species was before 

 found by Bailley. 



Several of these simple and delicate forms were found, some very minute, 

 scarcely the "002 (two-thousandth) of an inch ; indeed, the more minute the 

 form has been, the more calculated I found it to excite both admiration and 

 wonder. 



It was a singular fact, and one of some interest, that among these forms a 

 large number belonged to the Diatoniaceae, when in the soundings of 1856, a few 

 miles north of this position, it was found that " while Coscinodiscus abounded, 

 frustules of ordinary Diatoms were exceedingly rare, and generally empty and 

 broken." It will be seen that it is quite the reverse in this instance, all being 

 in a capital state of preservation. 



Among the Foraminiferae were noticed abundance of the Globigerinas, Orbuhna, 



B 



