648 OCEAN CIRCULATION— ANIMAL LIFE. 



access, to replace it. It is unfortunate that we have, as yet, scarcely 

 sufficient data to estimate the relative amount of rain and snow in the 

 northern and southern hemispheres, but the broad fact that there is very 

 much more in the southern is so patent as scarcely to require proof. This 

 excess becomes still more apparent when we include, as we must do, in 

 this source of supply of water to the North, the Tropical region of the 

 South Pacific, which forms part of the great ocean." 



Mr. W. L. Jordan* argues against the usually accepted theory of Ocean 

 Circulation, contending that the forces of gravitation constantly draw the 

 ocean water not only eastwards, but also doivnwards, throughout both of 

 the Temperate zones, and upivards at the Poles and along the Equator. 

 He held that the Temperature soundings of H.M.S. Challenger proved his 

 view correct, showing that, instead of the Temperature uniformly decreasing 

 as the depth increased, the Challenger records point to the existence of 

 bands of water, at great depths, of a temperature intermediate between 

 both colder and warmer water above them, and this in such a manner that 

 the observations elaborately check each other. In his letter of November 8th, 

 1887, to the Lords of the Admiralty, he draws attention to the assumed 

 errors in the thermometer indications, in the following words : — " The 

 Challenger staff appear, indeed, to have shut their eyes to the grandest 

 result of their own explorations, and, after the return of the expedition, 

 they not only with one consent avoided my attempts to discuss the results 

 with them, but also for eight years suppressed many of the records which 

 most strongly supported my side of the controversy. 



" Not only have the Challenger staff endeavoured to make the deep 

 water, one, two, three, and even four miles below the surface of the ocean, 

 conform itself to the Temperature which their preconceived ideas required, 

 but they have also endeavoured to make the surface-water move in accord- 

 ance with what their preconceived idea of the action of the Winds re- 

 quires, as is apparent from the erroneous method of ascertaining the 

 surface-currents." 



ANIMAL LIFE, Etc. — " The curious on board ship sometimes amuse 

 themselves by letting overboard, in light winds and calms, a hoop-net of 

 gauze, or other light material, to ' catch insects of the sea ;' crumbs of 

 bread or other food that will attract them are sometimes placed in it as 

 bait. The hoop is to keep the mouth of the net open, and prevent it 

 from collapsing into folds and crushing its spoils as it "is hauled up ; and 

 these, when they are received on deck, are regarded by all on board with 

 amazed interest and curiosity. 



" But wait until the microscopist mounts them on his slides, and brings 

 the powers of his instrument to bear. Then every one who looks marvels 

 at the beauty and variety of organic form there presented, and the 

 beholder is at once struck with the extent, resources, and the richness of 

 the new field of research, into which he has now, it may be for the first 

 time, had the opportunity of casting a look. He fully realizes the idea 



•• " The Admiralty PaUifioHtion of the Challenger Record Exposed," by W. L. Jordan, 

 P.R.G.S., 1890. 



