xii INTRODUCTION 



researches in the laboratories and there, boy- 

 like, I made my childish collections. At a 

 laboratory table I assorted and labelled my 

 specimens, used my microscope and absorbed 

 a vast deal of useful information while aided 

 and encouraged by the scientists who have 

 been foremost in giving the world our knowl- 

 edge of the ocean's depth and its wonderful 

 life. 



Many hours were thus employed in the 

 shore laboratories and many days were spent 

 at sea upon the Bluelight, Speedwell, Fish- 

 hawk and Albatross as they cruised back and 

 forth in the Gulf Stream or the Arctic Cur- 

 rent, sounding, dredging and trawling far 

 from land. 



At each haul of the dredge or trawl new and 

 remarkable forms of life were drawn up from 

 the ocean's depths, for in those days little was 

 known of deep-sea life and staid, dignified 

 scientists became as excited and enthusiastic as 

 schoolboys when some strange creature, new 

 to science, was dumped upon the deck after 

 being lifted for hundreds of fathoms from the 

 wonderland at the bottom of the sea. 



