22 TOILERS IN THE SEA. 



surface of a putrescent infusion (except in the 

 absence of all moving particles) colouring irregularly, 

 but very fully, with carmine, running into patches 

 with defined edges, and in every way comporting 

 itself like an organic thing. Professor Thomson 

 speaks very guardedly, and does not consider the 

 fate of Bathybius to be as yet absolutely decided. 

 But since I am mainly responsible for the mistake, 

 if it be one, of introducing this singular substance 

 into the list of living things, I think I err on the 

 right side in attaching even greater weight than he 

 does to the view which he suggests." 



This, then, would seem to be an end of the matter, 

 and it may be presumed that Bathybius, as an or- 

 ganised substance, was altogether a mistake, as con- 

 firmed by the subsequent strictures by Dr. G. C. 

 Wallich, 1 which, apart from the little personal animus 

 that leaven them, may be taken as conclusive. Some 

 concluding remarks have such an intimate relationship 

 with the study of marine life, and contain salutary 

 hints worthy of remembrance in this connexion, 

 that no apology need be made for quoting them. 

 Dr. Wallich says : " I fully appreciate the extreme 

 difficulties under which he (Huxley) worked when 

 analysing material unquestionably altered in its most 



1 " On the True Nature of the so-called Bathybius," by Dr. 

 G. C. Wallich, in "Annals Nat. Hist.," vol. xvi. (1875), P- 3 22 - 



