in the Ocean at the South Pole. 177 



sand, penguins^ feathei's and excrements, the Ulva, and only live 

 as yet distinguished species of sihceous Infusoria in great num- 

 bers, form the mass sent over. The vegetable substances may 

 indeed have disappeared by putrefaction. The excrement of the 

 birds, like guano, might abundantly furnish solid matter ; but the 

 solid sihceous earthy dement of the little invisible polygastric 

 animals appears to form no inconsiderable part of the solid sub- 

 stance, which by the death of generations goes to form earth and 

 land. 



The following forms were observed : — 



SILICEOUS POLYGASTRICA. 



1. Eunoiia amphioxys. 4. Rhaphone'is Scutollum. 



2. Pinnularia borealis. 5. Stauroptcra capituta. 



3. — peregrina ? 



Two forms are new, two have been observed also at the north 

 pole, and one is widely distributed. 



II. Oceanic materials from M. Schai/er. 



M. Schayer of Berlin, who for fifteen years was superintendent 

 of English sheep-folds at Woolnorth in Van Diemcn's Land, 

 has, in answer to a request sent to him in the year 1842 by the 

 author, collected materials unquestionably rich in microscopic 

 animals ; he also collected water taken from the ocean in differ- 

 ent regions on his retiu-n in 1843, and brought with him to 

 Berlin four bottles holding from a quarter to half a pint. The 

 author had wished that water had been drawn up at a distance 

 from the coast in accui'ately known places, in order to become 

 acquainted in some measure with the usual amount of microsco- 

 pic life of the ocean. 



The four well-preserved sealed bottles which have arrived in 

 Berlin were shown to the Academy by the author, and the water 

 is still quite clear and transparent, having only a few flakes at 

 the bottom, which render it turbid when shaken, but soon sub- 

 side again to the bottom, and the former transparency is restored. 

 When opened, a slight but yet evident trace of sulphuretted hy- 

 drogen was perceptible. 



The microscopic investigation has given the following results : 



1. Water from the south of Cape Horn on the high sea under 

 57° S. lat., 70° W. long., contained— 



SILICEOUS POLYGASTRICA. 



1. Fragilaria yranulata. 3. Lithostylidium Scrra. 



2. Hemiaulus ohtusus. 



