INTRODUCTION 



The following report is based on muds collected by Captain J. K. Davis, S.Y. Nimrod, 

 from soundings taken in the Ross Sea. The material was courteously placed in my 

 hands by Professor T. W. Edgeworth David, C.M.G., D.Sc, F.R.S. These soundings 

 have yielded most excellent results, not so much on account of the variety of specific 

 forms they contain, as for the information afforded regarding the approximate depths 

 and habitats of the Raised Beach material previously described, which occurred at 

 heights of 20 and 160 feet above sea-level. They also furnish some further interesting 

 data regarding the extension of Arctic species into Antarctic regions,* reference to 

 which will be made in the summary. 



Fifteen samples of soundings were examined, and from only two of these were 

 calcareous organisms absent. The range of depth in the samples is from 110 to 655 

 fathoms. The general nature of the soundings suggests an old shore-line which is 

 undergoing much wear and tear, for the material constituting the deposits is in the 

 main terrigenous, consisting of gritty diatomaceous ooze, green muds, and volcanic 

 sand. As a matter of convenience the soundings are here grouped in rotation according 

 to depth, from above downwards. 



SCHEDULE OF SOUNDINGS ARRANGED IN ORDER OF DEPTH 

 S.Y. NIMROD J. K. DAVIS, Commander 



No. 



Date 



Latitude 



2.1.09 76°56' S. 



12.1.08 



13.1.09 



12.2.09 



76°55'S. 



Longitude 



164°51'E. 



164° 55' E. 



76°55'S. 164°45'E. 



McMurdo Sound, 

 one mile from the 

 outer end of Glacier 

 Tongue, northern 

 side. 



Depth 



in 



Fathoms 



110 



113 



121 



153 



Nature of Sounding 



Green terrigenous 

 mud and pebbles 

 of (?) quartz f el- 

 site. 



Black mud. 



Green mud. 



Volcanic mud and 

 stones. 



General Contents 



A few diatoms (Coscinodiscus, etc.). 

 Foraminifera frequent. Sponge 

 spicules abundant. Polyzoa. 

 Ostracoda. 



Foraminifera, as Cassidulina and 

 Uvigerina, abundant. A few 

 Radiolaria and Sponge spicules. 



Diatomaceae (Coscinodiscus, etc.). 

 Arenaceous Foraminifera (Sac- 

 cammina and Pelosina ; numer- 

 ous hyaline forms in finer portion. 

 Polyzoa. 



Diatomaceae (Coscinodiscus, etc.). 

 Foraminifera common. Sponge 

 spicules. Echinoid spines. 



Ostracoda. 



* See also ante, " Report on the Foraminifera and Ostracoda from Elevated Deposits on the 



Shores of the Ross Sea." 



55 



