268 , THU: DEPTHS OF THE SEA. [chap. vi. 



strup of Copenhagen, and Michael Sars of Chris- 

 tiania — were making perpetual advances in the 

 knowledge of marine zoology. Milne-Edwards was 

 illustrating the fauna of the coast of Prance, and 

 Philippi, Grube, Oscar Schmidt, and others were 

 continuins: in the Mediterranean and the Adriatic 

 the work so well begun by Donati, Olivi, Eisso, 

 Delle Chiage, Poli, and Cantraine; while Deshayes 

 and Lacaze Duthiers illustrated the fauna of the 

 coast of Algeria. So much progress had already 

 been made at home and abroad, that in the year 

 1854 Edward Eorbes considered that the time had 

 arrived for giving to the public, at all events a pre- 

 liminary sketch of the fauna of the European seas 

 — a work which he commenced, but did not live to 

 finish. 



I need scarcely say that these operations of the 

 British Association dredging committees were carried 

 on generally under the idea that at the 100-fathom 

 line, by which amateur work was practically limited, 

 they approached the zero of animal life — a notion 

 which was destined to be gradually undermined and 

 finally completely overthrown. Erom time to time, 

 hoAvever, there were not wanting men of great skill 

 and experience to maintain, with Sir James Clark 

 Ross, that " from however great a depth we may be 

 enabled to bring up the mud and stones of the bed 

 of the ocean, we shall find them teeming with animal 

 life." Erom the very general prevalence of the 

 negative view there was little to stimulate to the 

 investigation of the bottom at great depths, and data 

 gathered very slowly. 



I have already referred (p. 18 et infra) to the 



