434 PROF. ALLMAN ON THE RECENT RESEARCHES 



these, but occurring mucli more sparingly, have also been found 

 small globular concretions resembling little heaps of Coccoliths. 

 These have been named by Wallich, who first drew attention to 

 them, Coccospheres. Both Coccoliths and Coccospheres are 

 believed by Huxley to be proper parts of the Bathylius and 

 formed by excretion from the protoplasm. 



The Bathyhius has been since subjected to a very exhaustive 

 examination by Haeckel*, who believes that he is able to confirm 

 in all points the conclusions of Huxley, and arrives at the con- 

 viction that the bottom of the open ocean at depths below 5000 

 feet is covered with an enormous mass of free living protoplasm, 

 which lingers there in the simplest and most primitive condition, 

 having as yet acquired no definite form. He refers it to his group 

 of Monera, and suggests that it may have originated by spon- 

 taneous generation (Jlrzeugung), a question, however, which he 

 leaves for future investigations to decide. 



The determination of Bathyhius as an independent organism 

 has not been confirmed by observations since made during the 

 expedition of the ' Challenger.' "What has been regarded as the 

 same slimy material which had been examined by Huxley and 

 Haeckel, in specimens preserved in alcohol, has been again exa- 

 mined on the spot, and the ' Challenger ' explorers have declared 

 their conviction that it is only an inorganic precipitate due to 

 the action of the alcohol. "With the views of able observers thus 

 difi'ering from one another, it will be wise to reserve judgment. 



The origin of the Coccoliths and Coccospheres still remains un- 

 determined. Haeckel has described under the name of Myxo- 

 Irachiaf a remarkable genus of Eadiolaria characterized by the 

 possession of one or several thick fleshy arms, which terminate 

 each in a capitulum. These terminal capitula enclose numerous 

 calcareous concretions exactly resembling the single-disk cocco- 

 liths and the coccospheres of Bathyhius. Notwithstanding, 

 however, the impossibility of distinguishing the concretions of the 

 one from those of the other, Haeckel cannot consider Myxobrachia 

 as the proper source of the multitudes of coccoliths which cover 

 the bottom of the sea. 



* " Beitrage zur Plastidentheorie," Jena. Zeitschr. vol. v. 

 t Ibid. 



