152 BULLETIN OF THE 



on the surface. The cylinder was found to work most satisfactorily, and 

 brought up a few Calani, Hydroid Medusae, such as usually occur at 

 the surface. A few slight modifications were suggested by Mr. Sigsbee, 

 and Commander Bartlett recommended the addition of a wire-gauze trap, 

 to facilitate the washing out of the microscopic animals which might be 

 collected. 



On the 1st of July the Sigsbee cylinder was tried for the second 

 time in Lat. 39° 59' 16" N., Lon. 70° 18' 30'' W., in 260 fathoms of 

 water. The surface was carefully explored with the tow-net, to see what 

 pelagic animals and others might be found on the surface. There were 

 found Calanus, Sagitta, Annelid larvae, Hydroid Medusae, Squillee em- 

 bryos, Salpse, and a few Radiolarians. The cylinder, filled with water 

 which had been carefully sifted through fine muslin, was then attached 

 to the dredging wire, and lowered, so as to collect the animals to be found 

 between 5 and 50 fathoms. The time occupied by the cylinder in passing 

 through that space was 28 seconds. The cylinder was then brought up, 

 and the sieves and gauze trap carefully washed with water, which had also 

 previously been strained through fine muslin. The water was carefully 

 examined, and we found the very same things which had a short time be- 

 fore been collected at the surface with the tow-net and the scoop-net : 

 nothing different was collected by the cylinder. The Radiolarians (two 

 genera) were perhaps more luimerous than at the surface. A slight breeze 

 having sprung up after the surface collections had been examined, the 

 cylinder was then sent down a second time at this same station, so adjust- 

 ed as to collect any animal life to be found from a depth of 50 to 100 

 fiithoms. Not only in this experiment, but in all the subsequent ones, 

 the same precautions were taken in regard to straining the water which 

 filled the cylinder at the start, as well as that used for washing out 

 the sieve and the gauze trap. The messenger sent down to detach and 

 open the machine occupied 21 seconds in reaching the (50 fathoms) point 

 to which the cylinder was attached, and the cylinder then occupied 30 

 seconds in passing to the stop at 100 fathoms. On examining the sieves, 

 it was found that the more common surface things, Calanus, Sagitta, An- 

 nelid larvae, Hydroid Medusae, and Squillae embryos, were entirely want- 

 ing, and there were only two Radiolarians of the same species as those 

 from the upper levels found after a careful scrutiny of the water. Noth- 

 ing additional was brought up. The cylinder was then sent down a third 

 time, lowered to a depth of 100 fathoms, the messenger sent down to 

 open it (time occupied 45"), and the cylinder travelled from 100 to 

 150 fathoms (time 45"), so as to collect the animal life to be obtained 



