42 M. A. Milne-Edwards on the 



composition, sometimes of Nummulitic limestone, and some- 

 times of an ooze almost exclusively composed of Foraminifera*. 

 Near the northern coast of Spain numerous and for tlie 

 most part unknown Corals had been developed at certain 

 points, and at depths of more than 1000 metres, with marvel- 

 lous luxuriance, sheltering a whole population of Mollusca, 

 Annelids, Crustacea, and Zoophytes. The dredgings that we 

 made in these spots reached depths which had never been ex- 

 plored in European seas. On the 17th August, in the Bay 

 of Biscay, in 44° 48' 30" N. lat. and 7® 0' 30" longitude west 

 [of Paris], we dredged in a depth of 5100 metres, and met with 

 numerous animals, of small size it is true, but some of them 

 belonging to elevated groups, such as an Annelid, an Amplii- 

 pod Crustacean, and three Ostracoda ; the other species, which 

 were very various, belong to the groups Foraminifera and 

 Radiolaria. The temperature of tlie stratum of water that 

 rested upon this bottom of 5100 metres was o°'o C. 

 ( = 38°-3 F.). 



I have already said that generally the Fishes escaped our 

 researches ; nevertheless off the coast of Portugal, in sight of 

 Cape Espichel, at about 1200 metres, we took three very 

 rare species of sharks, which never seem to quit the abysses 

 of the ocean, namely Centrophorus squamosa^ C. crepidalhus^ 

 and Centroscymnus coelolepis, which were described a few 

 years ago by MM. Barboza du Bocage and Brito-Capello. 

 Another fish. Mora mediterranea, was also captured under 

 the same circumstances. 



The collections of Crustacea are very abundant. Lisjw- 

 gnatlius Thomsoni, Norm., Scyramathia Carpenteri^ Norm., 

 and Geryon longipes were found at depths varying between 

 896 and 1225 metres. Bathynectes longispnna^ discovered 

 by Stimpson off Guadeloupe, was met with by us off Cape 

 Ortegal at about 900 metres. A Pagurid of the great depths 

 seems to me to be identical with an American species [Eapa- 

 gurus Jacohiij A. M.-E,)t. 



The group Galatheida? is numerously represented. In 1880 

 I indicated the existence of a Gcdathodes in the Bay of Biscay 

 at 1950 metres^. Another species was captured this year on 



* M. Sclilumberger lias fouud 116,000 Foraminifera in 1 cub. cent, of 

 this mud. 



t This species is identical with Parapaywus pilosimanus, Smith. 



X Galathodcs aciitus, A. M.-E. — The rostrum is slender, pointed, and 

 as long as the inuer anteunte. The carapiLce has two lateral spines, one 

 at its anterior angle, the other, which is very small, behind the cervical 

 groove. The second, third, and fourth segments of the abdomeu are armed 

 in the median line with a spine directed forward. 



