176 



Messrs. Carpenter and Jeffreys on [Dec. 8, 



sillus, Forb. (Sic. foss.). Among the Annelida was an interesting Northern 

 form, Hyalincecia tubicola, Miiller. The Echinodermata were in consider- 

 able abundance, but were mostly well-known Mediterranean types. The 

 Cidaris hystrix was especially frequent ; and a comparison of the series 

 of specimens obtained in this and the preceding Cruise, with those obtained 

 last year in the Northern area, has enabled Prof. Wyville Thomson to 

 satisfy himself that C. hystrix, C. papillata, and C. affinis are specifically 

 identical. The Corals found on the Adventure Bank have proved peculi- 

 arly interesting; and will be the subject of a special Report by Prof. Duncan. 

 Among the Hydrozoa were two undescribed species of Aglaophenia. Al- 

 though no new Foraminifera here presented themselves, yet it was very 

 interesting to obtain (as we had previously done at several points on the 

 African coast) specimens of the beautiful Orbitolites tenuissimus first dis- 

 covered last year in the Atlantic (Report, § 36), of which we had ventured 

 to predicate the existence in the Mediterranean from having discovered an 

 extremely minute fragment of it in one of Captain Spratt's iEgean dredg- 

 ings ; also peculiarly large and elaborately finished specimens of the great 

 Nautiloid Lituola, first met with last year, the " test " of which is built up 

 of sand-grains united by a ferruginous cement, with passages extending 

 from the principal chambers into their walls, forming what is known as the 

 " labyrinthic structure, 5 ' of which the greatest development is found in the 

 two gigantic Fossil types (Parkeria and Loftusia) recently described by 

 Dr. Carpenter and Mr. H. Brady*. 



56. This part of our work having brought us to the neighbourhood of 

 the Island of Pantellaria, we landed on it with the view of visiting, if pos- 

 sible, a cavern which had the reputation of being " of icy coldness." As 

 we found, however, that a whole day's delay would be involved, we gave 

 up the idea ; and we afterwards obtained elsewhere the information we de- 

 sired (§ 89). — The continuance of the very hot weather having brought a 

 large part of our Crew to a state of such exhaustion as to render a con- 

 tinuation of our operations undesirable, Captain Calver considered it ex- 

 pedient to proceed to Malta without further delay ; and we anchored in the 

 Harbour of Valetta on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 10th. Here we 

 found it necessary to remain for ten days, the illness of our Chief Engineer, 

 which we at first hoped might be only temporary, proving sufficiently 

 serious to require that a substitute should be found for him. Our time 

 was passed very pleasantly in visits to the various objects of interest in 

 which the Island abounds, and in the enjoyment of the kind hospitality of 

 His Excellency the Governor, Vice-Admiral Key, and other Officers. — The 

 time was too short for any careful examination of the Geology of the 

 Island ; but one point which struck us as of special interest in relation to 

 the deposit at present forming on the Mediterranean bottom will be spe- 

 cially noticed hereafter (§ 102). 



57. As the instructions which we received at Malta required us to 

 * Philosophical Transactions, 1869. 



