264 THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA. 



759. We have now had specimens from the "bottom of "bhie 

 water" in the narrow Coral Sea, the broad Pacific, and the long- 

 Atlantic, and thej all tell the same story, namely, that the hed of 

 the ocean is a vast cemetery. The ocean's bed has been found 

 every where, wherever Brooke's sounding-rod has touched, to be 



genious device for obtaining deep soundings, and to whose industry and zeal in using 

 it, we are indebted for these and many other treasures of the deep. 



"5th. The specimens contain a considerable number of silicious spicules of sponges, 

 and of the beautiful silicious shells of the Polycistineae. Among the latter I have no- 

 ticed Cornutella Clathrata of Ehrenberg, a form occurring frequently in the Atlantic 

 soundings. I have also noticed in all these soundings, and shall hereafter describe 

 and figure, several species of Eucyrtidium, Halicalyptra, a Perichlamidium, a Stylo- 

 dictya, and many others. 



" 6th. I have not been able to detect even a fragment -of any of the calcareous shells 

 of the Polythalamia. This is remarkable, from the striking contrast it presents to the 

 deep soundings of the Atlantic, which are chiefly made up of these calcareous forms. 

 This difference can not be due to temperature, as it is well known that Polythalamia 

 are abundant in the Arctic Seas. 



" 7th. These deposits of microscopic organisms, in their richness, extent, and the 

 high latitudes at which they occur, resemble those of the Antarctic regions, whose ex- 

 istence has been proved by Ehrenberg, and the occurrence in these northern sound- 

 ings of species of Asteromphalus and Chaetoceros is another striking point of resem- 

 blance. These genera, however, are not exclusively polar forms, but, as I have re- 

 cently determined, occur also in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Gulf Stream. 



" 8th. The perfect condition of the organisms in these soundings, and the fact that 

 some of them retain their soft portions, indicate that they were very recently in a liv- 

 ing condition, but it does not follow that they were living when collected at such im- 

 mense depths. As among them are forms which are known to live along the shores 

 as parasites upon the Algae, &c., it is certain that a portion, at least, have been car- 

 ried by oceanic currents, by drift ice, by animals which have fed upon them, or by 

 other agents, to their present position. It is hence probable that all were removed 

 from shallower waters in which they once lived. These forms are so minute, and 

 would float so far when buoyed up by the gases evolved during decomposition, that 

 there would be nothing surprising in finding them in any part of the ocean, even if 

 they were not transported, as it is certain they often are, by the agents above refer- 

 red to. 



" 9th. In conclusion, it is to be hoped that the example set by Lieutenant Brooke 

 will be followed by others, and that, in all attempts to make deep soundings, the effort 

 to bring up a portion of the bottom will be made. The soundings from any part of 

 the ocean are sure to yield something of interest to microscopic analysis, and it is as 

 yet impossible to tell what important results may yet flow from their study. 



" The above is only a preliminary notice of the soundings referred to. I shall pro- 

 ceed without delay to describe and figure the highly interesting and novel forms which 

 I have detected, and I hope soon to have them ready for publication. 



" Yours, very respectfully, J. W. Bailey. 



"Lieutenam M. F. Maury, National Observatory, Washin^on City, D. 0." 



