Sg ee Pee ee ee 
ee ee ee ee ee ay i ee 
EN ey Se ee TORE Te A 
Miscellaneous. 457 
of its hive at the distance of a few feet. Now everyone knows that 
the sight of a Bee is much longer than that. The author concludes 
that each element corresponding with a facet must be regarded as a 
complete eye. But it is clear that in this case the principle of iden- 
tical points does not exist for these eyes, and that we must suppose 
the animal to possess the power of perceiving impressions in the di- 
rection of the rays which strike each facet.—Siebold und Kélliker’s 
Zeitschrift, 1859, p. 191; Bibl. Univ. June 20, 1860; Bull. Sei. 
p. 161. 
Results of Soundings in the North Atlantic. 
To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 
GENTLEMEN,— During the recent survey of the proposed North 
Atlantic Telegraph route between Great Britain and America, con- 
ducted on board H.M.S. Bulldog, some important facts have re- 
vealed themselves, from which it would appear that all preconceived 
notions as to the bathymetrical limits whereby animal life is cireum- 
scribed in the sea are more or less erroneous. The mighty ocean 
contains its hidden animate as well as inanimate treasures; and it is 
probable that, under proper management, the former may speedily 
be brought to light, whatever may be the ultimate fate of the latter. 
In short, we are almost warranted, from the evidence already at our 
command, in inferring that, although hitherto undetected, a sub- 
marine fauna exists along the bed of the sea, and that means and 
opportunities are alone wanting to render it amenable to the scrutiny 
of the naturalist. 
In sounding midway between Greenland and the north-west coast 
of Ireland, at 1260 fathoms—that is, at a mile and a half below the 
surface, in round numbers—several Ophiocome were brought up, 
clinging by their long spinous arms to the last fifty fathoms of line. 
They were alive, and continued to move their limbs about energeti- 
eally for upwards of a quarter of an hour after leaving their native 
element. The species seems allied to O. granulata, Link, the spe- 
cimens varying from 2 to 5 inches across the rays. Lest it be sup- 
posed that these Ophiocome were floating or drifting in the water at 
any point intermediate between the surface and bottom, it is only 
necessary to mention that the determination of depth having been 
effected by a separate operation and apparatus, the more tedious pro- 
cess of bringing up the sample of bottom is entered on; and, owing 
to the difficulty of finding out the exact moment at which ground is 
struck, a considerable quantity of line in excess of the already ascer- 
tained depth is usually paid out. This quantity therefore rests o 
the bottom for a short time until the sounding-machine is again 
hauled up. The Ophiocome were adherent to this last fifty fathoms 
only, and were not secured at all by the sounding-machine. It is 
quite clear therefore that they were met with on the surface-layer of 
the deposit. The distance from the nearest point of Greenland to 
the spot at which this sounding was made is 500 miles, and to the 
nearest point of Iceland (namely an isolated rock called the ‘ Blinde 
Skier,’ about seventy miles from the mainland) 250 eet ; so that, 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser.3. Vol, vi. 
