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sea pen ( Virgularia Lyngmanni) and other interesting 

 mollusks and worms ; while two actiniae, one an enor- 

 mous Cerianthus (C. borealis), ten inches in length and 

 inhabiting a tough, slimy tube, and the other, Bolocera 

 Tuedice were discovered, together with Thy one scabra, 

 and a Norwegian shell, Area pectumuloides and JVecera 

 arctica, and several new species of mollusks and worms. 

 The marine fauna of this bank seems to be much like 

 that of the Bay of Fundy, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 

 the banks of Newfoundland, and, in a less degree, the 

 coast of Labrador. The discovery of the Pennatula, 

 Schizaster and Area pectunculoides also makes its rela- 

 tions with that of Norway intimate, and suggests that the 

 assemblage of life at this region is a continuation of the 

 Norwegian and arctic European deep sea fauna, and that 

 it represents a continuous stream of arctic life pervading 

 the ocean at great depths wherever the water is of suffi- 

 ciently low temperature, from the polar regions to Cuba 

 and Florida. The great abundance of life about the bank 

 seems to show that the food for our edible fishes is in 

 this region almost inexhaustible. 



After exploring this bank the Bache pushed on nearly 

 a hundred miles farther east and with some difficulty, 

 owing to an approaching gale from the southeast, obtained 

 soundings in thirteen hundred fathoms. The sea rising 

 made dredging impossible, and the steamer was obliged 

 from rough weather to run into Provincetown, and the 

 weather continuing boisterous, to the great disappoint- 

 ment of all, made any further attempts impracticable. 

 Every possible facility was extended by Commander 

 Howell and officers Jacques, Hagerman, Jacob and K'ush, 

 who personally superintended the dredging operations, 

 which were carried on by night as well as by day, and 

 to them the success of the explorations was largely due. 



