GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE ZOOLOGICAL REPORTS. 31 



spirit, closed with stoppers smeared with a mixture of tallow and wax, covered over with bladder, and the tops 

 painted with a black varnish. The animals of different groups were in many cases roughly selected at each 

 dredging, and put into different jars ; but frequently, in order to save jars and spirit, it was necessary to put 

 the whole result of one dredging into one or two jars, the animals of aU groups mixed. Each jar was marked 

 outside with the locality and the number of the station ; and the station number written with a black pencil 

 on a slip of parchment, was placed loithin each jar. The collection on its arrival in this country was thus 

 arranged geographically. It came home in excellent order. 



To ensure accuracy so far as possible, the observing stations have been numbered from 1 to 354, and a 

 number corresponding to the station is on every sample of every description, and on every record of the result 

 of observations for every station; and the same number is carried through the whole series of journals and 

 other books kept by the members of the Civilian Scientiiic Staff. 



It is now our object, in preparing a scientific account of the voyage, to describe these investigations, and 

 to give their results in detail ; and to develop, as far as possible, the bearings of these results upon one another, 

 and upon the broad problems of Physical Geography and Hydrography. 



Por this purpose it is necessary that the various numerical results should be reduced and tabulated ; that 

 the samples of soundings should be examined chemically and microscopically ; that the samples of water and of 

 air should be analysed; and that the animals procured by the dredge should be most carefully catalogued as to 

 localities, and the forms new to science described. 



The data for the physical and chemical work are in few hands, and these chiefly at headquarters. It is 

 especially for the assistance of the naturahsts dealing with the deep-sea fauna that these notes are drawn up. 



Professor Agassiz, Mr Murray, and I, have now gone over the whole of the collection of marine invertebrate 

 animals in spirit ; and we have separated the zoological groups from one another for each station, and re- 

 arranged the collection in zoological order. Each jar, therefore, now contains animals of one group only {e.g., 

 Ophiiirkh or Alcijonarians), to be described by one person. Each jar has within it a station munber, which 

 refers to the specimens which are loose in the jar ; but in many cases to save space, and to lessen the number 

 of large jars, there are in the same jar several packets done up in muslin, each packet containing animals of the 

 same zoological group from another station, and each packet having within it its own station number. 



The jars iviU be placed in the hands of the naturalists who undertake the description of the different groups, 

 in their present condition ; and in order to secure uniformity aud the safety of the collection, they are 

 requested — 



1. To go carefully over the whole collection intrusted to them, and to select a first series, including all 

 unique specimens ; and a sufficient number of specimens of those of which there are several duplicates, to 

 illustrate their geographical distribution ; and to associate with each species a particular number, by which 

 number that species may be always referred to afterwards — at aU events, until it has been described and named. 

 This is the collection which is to be described and figured, and it is ultimately to be placed as a collection of 

 types in the British Museum. It wHl usually be desirable, for the purposes of description and illustration, to 

 put the specimens of this first series into rectified spirit in clear glass bottles ; and I will arrange in each case 

 how the bottles are to be provided and the expense defrayed. This collection must be retained by the 

 describer untU the description of the whole is finished. 



2. To select at the same time a second set, consisting of a complete series of dupUcates, numbered to 

 correspond with the numbers attached to the first series, species for species, and to pack them either in separate 

 bottles or in packets in musliu, a number of packets together in one store bottle. This set to be returned to 

 me for reference. 



3. To pack up aU the duplicates from the different stations, each species from each locality either in a 

 separate bottle or in a muslin packet, with the station number and the number corresponding vnih. the type 

 specimen of the species along with it. It will greatly facilitate matters if this general duplicate collection is 



