374 MICROSCOPY. 
proof that organic matter was present in every one of these sam- 
ples, for the clearest of them contained shreddy and _flocculent 
material, some of them quantities of seaweed in various stages of 
decomposition. With these vegetable substances were the remains 
of minute marine animals. As bearing upon this subject, I found, 
on incinerating the solid residue of a sample of water taken from 
two hundred fathoms, that the organic and volatile material was 
not less than eleven per cent. of the whole. Though the quantity 
of organic substance diminished as the stratum under examination 
was deeper, there still remained a visible amount in the water of 
four hundred or five hundred fathoms. It is probable, therefore, 
that even at the bottom of the ocean such organic substance may 
exist, not only in solution affording nutriment to animals inhabit- 
ing those dark abysses, as Professor Wyville Thompson has sug- 
gested, but also in the solid state. Plants, of course, cannot grow 
there, on account of the absence of light.” The spectroscope 
revealed no hitherto-unknown element in these waters. Dr. Car- 
penter, to whom were transmitted the specimens of the bottom ob- 
tained from the quills of the sounding apparatus, writes: “As tar 
as I can see, they consist of the ordinary Atlantic mud, chalk m 
process of formation, with the ordinary types of deep-sea forami- 
nifera.” The cruise of the Mercury furnishes, in several impor- 
tant particulars, confirmation of theories drawn more or less Con- 
clusively from the investigations of the preceding years. | 
in his recent i 
InrusortaL Lire.—Dr. J. Dongall, of "Glasgow, 
her novel and 
experiments on this subject, has reached some rat 
probably useful conclusions. Of the various substances used to 
prevent the development of animalcules, etc., in vegetable and 
animal infusions, he found the metallic salts to be by 
occupied the fifth place, not the first. Last follow 
earths, which were all very low except bichromate 
many purposes of disinfection, sulphate of coppe 
eligible; and that chromic acid and bichromate 
better than the fashionable carbolic acid. 
Tue Nature or Miasm.—M. Bolestra has rept 
searches upon this subject, to the French Academy of 
