18 " THETIS " SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



At times we encountered heavy weather, and on several occasions 

 had to run for shelter. Once we were driven from our anchorage, 

 and had to ride out the storm in the open seaway. Time was also 

 lost by our encountering wreckage, river drift, or large boulders. 

 On such occasions the net was usually more or less damaged, but 

 in every instance the repairs were effected by those engaged on 

 board. 



Whenever rocks were encountered the fishes obtained were 

 few in number, but on such occasions we reaped a rich harvest 

 of Invertebrates, comprising Sponges, Gorgonias, Echinoderms, 

 Crustaceans and Ascidians. We frequently obtained Feather- 

 stars (Comatula), while in eighty fathoms off Botany Bay, 

 between two and three hundred examples of the rare Echinoderm, 

 Phormosoma hoplacantha, Wy. Thompson, were hauled on board. 

 This find was specially interesting, as the animal had previously 

 been taken only by the " Challenger " at the minimum depth of 

 410 fathoms. 



When first removed from the water, these Echinoderms pre- 

 sented a globular form and heaved with a panting or pulsating 

 action. Water oozed from them until they became quite flat ; if 

 one of globular form was pricked with a knife the fluid ran out, 

 the larger examples supplying quite a pint. 



We placed a number of these Echinoderms in a large tin, 

 stacking them to the height of about two feet ; in a short time 

 they had shrunk down to a layer of not more than six inches in 

 depth, and were covered by the water which exuded from them. 

 We found wounds from their spines to be very painful. 



At first the trawl was also worked at night, apparently without 

 any variation in the results, but as such gave double work and 

 prevented sleep, night work was soon abandoned. On these 

 occasions, however, a most beautiful spectacle was presented by 

 the phosphorescent appearance of the fish as they darted hither 

 and thither within the net, or lay on the deck a glowing mass. 

 At night also it was only a moving streak of phosphorescent light 

 that indicated the presence of a shark silently accompanying the 

 vessel. 



AREA TRAVERSED. 



Although popularly styled a "deep-sea" venture, it is to 

 be noted that this phrase is to be understood as of fishermen 

 and not of naturalists. At no time was the 100-fathom line 

 exceeded. 



