October 24, 191 2] 



NATURE 



THE 



MICHAEL SARS- 

 ATLANTIC^ 



IN THE 



THE cruise of the Michael Sars in the North 

 Atlantic in 1910 has shown what a great 

 deal of excellent work in investigating the deep 

 waters of the ocean can be done by a compara- 

 tively small vessel, when the best possible equip- 

 ment is provided, and men of exceptional com- 

 petence and experience are in charge. Sir John 

 Murrav's judgment was sound when, instead of 

 fitting out de novo a larger vessel for the investiga- 

 tions he wished to carry out in the Atlantic, he 

 arranged with the Norwegian Government for the 

 use of its fishery research steamer, a vessel only 

 125 feet long and of 226 gross tonnage, together 

 with her scientific staff and crew. The immense 

 advantage of proved men, accustomed to work 

 together, and each thoroughly competent in 

 his own particular line, for the successful 

 execution of investigations 

 of the very difficult kind 

 which were undertaken by 

 this expedition cannot be 

 overestimated. 



The work of the expedi- 

 tion was not only well done, 

 but the results are being 

 well presented both to the 

 scientific and to the lay 

 public. The detailed scien- 

 tific reports are to be pub- 

 lished in a series of volumes 

 issued by the Bergen 

 Museum, and will without 

 doubt constitute a valuable 

 and permanent addition to 

 our knowledge of the physi- 

 cal and biological conditions 

 of the Atlantic. The book 

 now under review is 

 designed to appeal to a 

 wider public, and from the 

 interesting way in which the 

 facts are presented and the 

 large number of excellent 



illustrations which it contains, it can scarcely 

 fail to achieve its purpose. Although the 

 book is chiefly devoted to an account of 

 one particular expedition. Sir John Murray and 

 Dr. Hjort have taken the opportunity, as the 

 sub-title indicates, of placing before the public 

 " a general account of the modern science of 

 oceanography." The success with which the 

 authors, and those who have collaborated with 

 them, have carried out their task makes "The 

 Depths of the Ocean " by far the best English 

 book from which the general reader can gain a 

 trustworthy knowledge of the aims and progress 

 of the modern science of the sea. 



Within the limits of a single article it would 



1 -The Deplhs of itie Oce.in." A General Account of the Modern 

 Science of Oceanoeraphv ha^ed largely on the Scientific Researches of 

 the Norwegian Steamer Mic/iaclSars in the North Atlantic. By Sir John 

 Murray, K.C.B., F.R.S., and Dr. Johan Hjort. Pp. xx + 821. (London: 

 Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 1912.) Price 28^ net. 



xo. 2243, VOL. go] 



be quite impossible to give any adequate account 

 of the wealth of interesting matter which this 

 large volume contains. It will only be possible, 

 therefore, whilst noting the general contents of 

 the several chapters, to direct special attention 

 to some of the questions upon which the results 

 of the Michael Sars expedition have thrown new 

 light. 



The first chapter, on the history of oceano- 

 graphical research, is written by Sir John Murray. 

 It condenses and brings up to date the well- 

 known historical accoimt of the subject which Sir 

 John wrote for the " Summary " volume of the 

 Challenger reports. If a word of criticism may 

 be allowed, it seems a pity that the more recent 

 work around the coasts of north Europe, more 

 particularly that done in connection with the 

 international investigations, receives such slight 

 reference. We should have been glad to see some 

 more detailed notice of the brilliant achievements 



.— S.S. Michael Sars in Plymouth Harbour. From " The Depths of the Ocea 



of the Danish workers in the North Atlantic, and 

 one would have expected a good Scotsman like 

 Sir John Murray to have at least mentioned the 

 important work done by the Scottish Fishery 

 Board, even though he did not consider that 

 carried out by England and by Ireland as worthy 

 of a place. 



In the second and third chapters Dr. Hjort 

 gives a narrative of the cruise, with many details 

 of the equipment of the ship and the methods of 

 work. The feature of most interest to the work- 

 ing naturalist is perhaps the account of the 

 number of different pieces of apparatus for cap- 

 turing pelagic animals which it was found pos- 

 sible to work at one and the same time. .\s 

 many as nine or ten nets, including two or three 

 Petersen young-fish trawls and some very large 

 tow-nets, weretowed together at dift'erent depths, 

 and appear to have worked well. 



