Feb. 25, 1875J 



NATURE 



IS"^ 



clinging to the cable, sometimes in thick groves of red 

 and yellow algas, slender, transparent, feathery grasses, 

 red, slimy fucoids, and tufts of amethyst moss. We 

 found branching coral plants, upwards of a foot in height, 

 growing on to the cable, the soft skeleton being covered 

 with a fleshy skin, generally of a deep orange colour. 

 Sometimes a sponge was found attached to the roots of 

 these corals, and delicate calcareous structures of varied 

 tints encrusted the stems of all these plants, and served 

 to ornament as well as strengthen them. Parasitic 

 life seems to be as rife under these waters as it is on 

 these shores. Many star-fishes, zoophytes, and curious 

 crabs were likewise pulled in, clinging to the cable. The 

 latter were frequently completely overgrown with the indi- 

 genous vegetation of the bottom, or of the colour of the sand 

 there, and so were scarcely distinguishable from it. Others, 

 although not so covered, were found to have the same 

 tints as the vegetation they inhabited, and even in struc- 

 ture resembled the latter somewhat. Others, again, were 

 perfectly or partially transparent ; and one most beauti- 

 ful creature, perhaps new to science, united singularly 

 enough in its person several prevailing colours of the 

 bottom. Its slender limbs (Fig. i), Uke jointed fila- 

 ments of glass, were stained here and there of a deep 

 topaz brown (a). Its pointed snout (p) was of a deep 

 scarlet ; its triangular body {c) of a light yellow ; its eyes 

 were green, and its tiny hands {d) an amethyst blue. 



Another very active crab or water-beetle was also 

 picked up. It was quite transparent, and had bright 

 green highly convex eyes (Fig. 2). 



Another creature (Fig. 3) of quite a different descrip- 

 tion was also picked up. It was more like a water-spider 

 than anything else. Its transparent hair-like limbs were 

 dappled with dull green, and it seemed a mere skeleton 



Pv-i- 



framework made to carry a small white sac containing 

 entrails, which was slung underneath. These three dis- 

 tinguished specimens were entirely free from parasitic 

 weeds, and were the only ones of their kind observed. 

 Many crabs (Fig. 4), generally resembling Fig. i in shape, 

 but altogether ruder in form, were found in plenty, all 

 bearded with moss in the manner shown. While looking 

 at these frail organisms, one was forced to conclude that 

 there must surely be little disturbance in their habitats. 



The temperature varied from 79' F. in the deeper water 

 to 83° F. in the shallower. The cable was most thickly 

 encrusted with vegetation in depths of thirty to forty 

 fathoms, and there was a very sensible falling off when 

 the depth reached sixty fathoms, and the water became 

 Salter and more free from silt. 



The specimens, Figs, i and 2, were found in water of 

 thirty and forty fathoms respectively, about lat. o' 55' N., 

 long. 48' 8' W., off the coast of Marajo, or Joannes 

 Island. 



The specimens, Figs. 3 and 4, were found in water of 

 sixty fathoms, sixty miles off the coast, about lat. 2° 56' N. 



The few unlucky waifs observed of the many which 

 came up are at least sufficient to hint at the wonderful 

 variety of submarine life there may be in the littoral 

 zones of these regions, which are well worthy of being 



examined by naturalists ; and picking up cables suggests 

 a novel way of dredging for them. 



8. Fishes' I?!/c-s.— The cause of our picking-up opera- 

 tions is in itself worthy of remark. We found that the 

 cable had been bitten in several places by fishes powerful 

 enough to displace the iron sheathing and pierce the 

 cable to the core with their teeth, pieces of which we 

 found sticking in the bitten places. There is reason to 

 believe that the electric current had given them a shock 

 and caused them to quit their morsel rather hastily. The 

 bites were all located in the cable off the Delta of the 

 Amazon, and had undoubtedly taken place when the cable 

 was freshly laid, and before it was rendered inconspicuous 

 and unattractive by the submarine fauna and flora. 



J. MUNRO 



T//E BIRMINGHAM COLLEGE OF SCIENCE 



COME months ago we intimated that Sir Josiah Mason 

 '~-' had set aside a munificent sum of money wherewith 

 to erect and endow a College of Science in Birmingham. 

 On Tuesday last, his eightieth birthday, the donor laid the 

 foundation-stone of the building, in presence of a large 

 gathering, composed of representatives of various public 

 bodies. 



We have already given some details of Sir Josiah 

 Mason's scheme, which appears to us exceedingly judicious, 

 liberal, and comprehensive. The entire sum to be spent 

 by the wise and generous founder will amount to upwards 

 of 100,000/., of which 65,000/. will be reserved for endow- 

 ment. The plan of education comprises courses of in- 

 struction in mathematics, abstract and applied ; physics, 

 both mathematical and experimental ; chemistry, theo- 

 retical, practical, and applied ; the natural sciences, espe- 

 cially geology and mineralogy, with their application to 

 mines and metallurg)' ; botany and geology, with special 

 application to manufactures ; physiology, with special 

 reference to the laws of health ; and the English, French, 

 and German languages. The course of study may also, 

 in the discretion of the trustees, include such other sub- 

 jects of instruction as will conduce to a sound practical 

 knowledge of scientific subjects, excluding mere literary 

 education. It is provided that popular or unsystematic 

 instruction may be given gratuitously or by fees in 

 the discretion of the trustees, and shall be open 

 to all persons without distinction of age, class, creed, 

 race, or sex. Theology and theological or religious 

 subjects are absolutely excluded from the curriculum. 

 Students must be between the ages of fourteen and twenty- 

 five, and must pass such preliminary examination as the 

 trustees may direct. In exceptional cases, students above 

 twenty-five will be admitted ; but these must not exceed 

 the proportion of one to ten. The founder has decided 

 that a certain proportion must be selected on grounds 

 which are reasonable and not too narrow. The 

 original trustees are Mr. W. C. Aitken, Mr. J. 

 Thackray Bunce, Dr. Gibbs Blake, Dr. Heslop, Mr. 

 G. J. Johnson, and Mr. George Shaw, and the Towji 

 Council of Birmingham is empowered to appoint 

 five additional trustees after the death of the founder. 

 The building, which is in the early pointed style, from 

 designs by i\Ir. J. A. Cossins, architect, of Birmingham, 

 will occupy an area of about an acre, with frontages on 

 either side of 149 feet and 127 feet respectively, in the 

 immediate vicinity of the Town Hall, the Midland Insti- 

 tute, and the new municipal buildings. 



After the ceremony of laying the foundation-stone, a 

 meeting was held in the Queen's Hotel, at which, among 

 others, Mr. John Bright was present, and paid a deserved 

 tribute to the far-seeing liberality of the founder of the 

 College. Sir Josiah Mason himself, in an address marked 

 by moderation and great sagacity, gave a simple account 

 of his own career, in which he has amassed a fortune by 

 patient industry, and spoke with great emphasis of the 



