Polytechnic Association. 573 



lowest living beings feed on the lifeless organic matter which exists ' 

 in so large a quantity in the water. We seem here to be near the 

 transition from complex lifeless protoid matter and living protoplasm. 

 The exact condition and nature of this organic matter is of extreme 

 importance, and we understand a distinguished chemist is about to 

 make it the subject of an inquiry. There is another point of no less 

 interest. These organisms, which are thus building up chalk strata 

 (for this deep Atlantic ooze is nothing but incipient chalk) at the 

 bottom of the ocean are, to a very large extent, identical with many 

 of the remains found in the chalk formations. This is so much the 

 case that we may speak of races of animals building the Old hills of 

 millions of years ago, and laying now the foundation of the chalk-hills 

 of times to come, themselves remaining unchanged all the time 

 between. 



Dr. Van der Weyde — The pressure at these great depths is no 

 inconvenience to the animals, for it is equalized. It is interior as well 

 as exterior. "With regard to the absence of light, the fishes we find 

 in the Mammoth cave are as lively as other fish, and appear to be 

 happy and contented. I found in those fishes rudimentary eyes, with 

 the skin grown over them. They are probably descended from fish 

 which have made their way into the cave through subterranean pas- 

 sages, and which have not had their eyes developed from the want of 

 the stimulus of light. Those fishes grow fat, but are very pale, and 

 the skin is very transparent. They look very different from other 

 fishes. It is not wonderful that there should be life in the depths of 

 the sea. It appears to be a law of nature that wherever life is possible, 

 there is life. The deep sea life to-day seems to be identical with that 

 of the cretaceous period ; and cretaceous deposits are now forming in 

 the bottom of the ocean. 



Prof. John Phin — Some years ago I made some experiments to 

 ascertain the effect of the primeval atmosphere, which was supposed 

 to contain a large amount of carbonic acid, upon animal life. I found 

 that the lower forms of life could bear with impunity a large amount 

 of carbonic acid. A lizard would live for a considerable time in an 

 atmosphere containing enough carbonic acid to kill a mouse almost 

 instantly. Of course there is oxygen present even at the bottom of 

 the ocean ; and much of it escapes as it is brought to the surface. 

 The lower the form of life, the greater is its power of resisting the 

 action of carbonic acid, whether it is in the atmosphere or in the 

 water. 



