30 Dr. G. C. Wallich on Organic Life 
Off Ramsay, Isle of Man, this species is abundant on shells 
dredged from the Scallop-banks. ] 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE VII. 
Fig. 1. Coryne vaginata, Hincks (Ann. ser. 3. vol. viii. p. 295), from a 
tracing of Lister’s figure of Coryne in the Phil. Transact.: 1 a, 
the cup-like expansion of the polypary. 
Fig. 2. Gonophore of Eudendrium insigne, Hincks. 
Fig. 3. Aitea recta, Hincks. 
Fig. 4. Membranipora curvirostris, Hincks. 
VII.—Further Observations on some Novel Phases of Organic 
Life at great depths in the Sea. By Dr. G. C. Watiren. 
To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 
GENTLEMEN, 
In the course of some experiments conducted by me, with a 
view to ascertain the relation subsisting between the sarcodic 
contents and the calcareous shells of the Foraminifera, a fact so 
curious revealed itself, as to suggest the possibility of its being 
rendered available for the solution of various questions in mi- 
croscopic analysis. 
A deep-sea deposit containing numerous-Foraminiferous shells, 
principally Globigerine, was subjected to the action of fluoric 
acid, both at the ordinary temperature and at the boiling-point. 
When subjected to boiling for a period of about a couple of 
minutes, entire solution of the calcareous, silicious, and vitreous 
(volcanic) particles took place, and the masses of sarcode were 
disintegrated and broken up into extremely minute somewhat 
acicular granules. These granules, however, in all probability, 
do not consist of pure sarcode, but of that substance or its 
elements in combination with fluoric and silicic acids. Seen under 
the microscope, they did not serve to throw any new light on the 
characters of sarcode, either with or without the employment of 
the polariscope. 
The portion of deposit submitted only to a momentary im- 
mersion in cold fluoric acid gave off a copious discharge of car- 
bonic acid; but on being carefully washed and examined under 
the microscope, little or no effect seemed to have been produced 
on the majority of the Globigerina-shells, beyond a reduction in 
the thickness of the walls in some, and in others what appeared 
to be an alteration in the outline of the superficial elevations, 
which, in the ease of the older shells, are conical and present a 
zeolite-like aspect when fractured. 
The silicious organisms and vitreous particles were very 
partially affected, the micaceous scales remaining quite intact. 
os 
