152 



Messrs. Carpenter and Jeffreys on [Dec. 8, 



parison with similar determinations of Mediterranean water. — In the 

 Second Cruise it had been arranged that Dr. Carpenter and Prof. Wyville 

 Thomson should co-operate as before ; but the latter being unfortunately 

 prevented by serious illness from taking part in it, the whole charge of this 

 Cruise rested with Dr. Carpenter. He was fortunately able to retain the 

 assistance of Mr. Lindahl ; and the Chemical work was continued (as in 

 the Third Cruise last year) by Mr. P. H. Carpenter. Mr. Laughrin 

 throughout acted as dredger and sifter. 



NARRATIVE. 

 First Cruise. 



4. After leaving Falmouth on the 4th of July, a thick fog and contrary 

 wind delayed our voyage to such an extent that Captain Calver considered 

 it advisable to put into Mount's Bay, as we could make but little way, 

 and were uselessly expending coal. "We remained there at anchor all the 

 next day. The wind having moderated, we started at daybreak on the 6th, 

 and steamed westward. During the day we used a towing-net (constructed 

 on a plan of Lieut. Palmer), while the vessel was going at a speed of between 

 five and six knots an hour, and caught myriads of a small oceanic Crusta- 

 cean, Cetochilus Helgolandicus. 



5. In the evening of the ne xt day (7th of July) we reached that part of the 

 slope extending from the entrance of the British Channel to the Atlantic 

 deeps, which appeared from the chart and our sounding to be promising 

 ground ; and here our first dredging was made in 567 fathoms (Station 1). 

 There being little or no wind, the contents of the dredge were very small, 

 but proved extremely interesting. Among the Mollusca were Terebratula 

 septata, Limopsis borealis, Hela tenella, Pecchiolia (or Verticordid) abyssi- 

 cola, and a fine species of Turbo, which we were subsequently enabled to iden- 

 tify with Trochus Jilosus of Philippi, of which his T. glabratus is a variety. 

 The last-named species and its variety are only known at present as Tertiary 

 fossils of Calabria and Messina. The three species first named likewise oc- 

 cur in the Pliocene beds of Southern Italy ; and these, as well as the Pec- 

 chiolia or Verticordia, live in the Norwegian seas. The other species of 

 Mollusca now dredged are also northern, with the exception of Ringicula 

 ventricosa (one of our Crag fossils), which was obtained in last year's 

 expedition, not far from our present position, in 55 7 fathoms. The Rev. Mr. 

 Norman notices among the Crustacea new species of Ampelisca and of six 

 other genera. Of Echinoderms the pretty Echinus elegans was the most 

 conspicuous. We lay-to at nightfall, so as to keep near the same ground. 



6. On the 8th the weather was very fine ; but there was not sufficient 

 wind to give the necessary driftway for dredging. Our first attempt in 

 305 fathoms (Station 2) was almost a failure. Later in the day dredgings 

 in 690 fathoms (Station 3) and about 500 fathoms produced some important 

 results, viz. Mollusca : Rhynchonella Sicula, Seguenza MS. (a Sicilian 



