302 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



— a point which he believed of material importance. Mr. J. Ball in- 

 quired of Prof. E. Forbes how far Lieut. Spratt's researches confirmed 

 his views of the nature of the deep-sea Fauna of the iEgean ? Such 

 inquiries as those engaged in by Lieut. Spratt were of great importance 

 for the purpose of ascertaining how far temperature and other causes 

 might interfere with the distribution of animals according to Prof. 

 Forbes's law. He would suggest whether deep-sea observations on 

 temperature might not be carried on better with thermometers depend- 

 ent on the expansion of solid metals. Prof. E. Forbes expressed his 

 obligations to Lieut. Spratt for the able manner in which he had carried 

 on these researches ; they were of great value and interest. In answer 

 to Mr. Ball, he stated that these researches quite confirmed the correct- 

 ness of the views he had taken with regard to the distribution of ani- 

 mals and plants; and the further researches made by the dredge since 

 the time he had first announced them at Cambridge, had also done so. 

 Dr. T. Williams performed some experiments with an air-pump, from 

 which he inferred that the influence of the pressure of the atmosphere 

 had been very much overlooked in accounting for the distribution of 

 animals in the air and sea. He had also performed some experiments 

 on the distribution of light, which led him to conclude that this agent 

 was much less influential when passing through water than is generally 

 supposed. Sir E. Belcher could generally confirm the correctness of 

 Lieut. Spratfs measurements of temperature. • In taking the tempera- 

 ture of the deep-sea he had used an instrument which he described, and 

 which prevented any accident to the thermometer. He had always 

 found the mud or bottom of the sea of the same temperature as the 

 water directly above it. Fish lived at much lower depths than Dr. 

 ams had supposed possible. He had seen them brought up from 

 a depth of one hundred and fifty fathoms. The bottoms of vessels 

 were examined with great facility by means of tubes, and in clear wa- 

 ter the sea bottom had been seen at a depth of thirty-three fathoms. 

 He alluded to the great difference of temperature produced by currents 

 in the sea. Thus, the gulf-stream often exhibited a temperature of 86 

 whilst the surrounding ocean was not more than 60°. Prof. E. Forbes 

 stated that animals brought up from a depth of two hundred and sev- 

 enty fathoms lived very well in water on the deck of a vessel — thus 

 showing that pressure had little to do with their existence. The infer- 

 ence, that light penetrated to great depths in the ocean, was founded 

 on the existence of color in plants at those great depths. As a proof 

 that the influence of temperature was very great, he might state that 

 an entirely different Fauna and Flora existed in the gulf-stream from 

 that which existed on its borders. Mr. J. Ball believed that adaptation 

 to pressure was speedily effected in animals. No proper inference could 

 be drawn from Dr. Williams's experiments on light through tubes. 

 The light in water was diffused, and not in tubes. Dr. Carpenter sta- 

 ted that animals differed in their power of bearing pressure. The con- 

 dor, in descending from its flight, frequently passed through three miles 

 of atmosphere in a few moments. The whale was said to go from the 

 surface to the depth of one thousand fathoms. Man, although at first 

 -affected by the rarefied air of a mountain, soon became used to it* 



Will 





