1869.] 



on the Scientific Exploration of the Deep Sea. 



419 



(the pressure of a column of sea-water at 800 fathoms' depth), this close 

 coincidence gave us a feeling of great confidence in the practical working of 

 the "protected " instrument. 



33. We next applied ourselves to the examination of the sea-bed between 

 Galvvay and the Porcupine Bank, as well as beyond the Bank, at depths ran- 

 ging from 85 to 1230 fathoms (Stations 10 to 17). All the Mollusca were 

 Northern, except Aporrhais Serresianus ; and even that we are now inclined 

 to consider identical with A. Macandj'ece, which inhabits the coasts of Nor- 

 way and Shetland, the latter appearing to be a dwarf variety or form. The 

 more remarkable species were, among Mollusca, Limopsis aurita (a well- 

 known tertiary fossil), Area glacialis, Verticordia abyssicola, Dentalium 

 abyssorum, Trochus cinereus, Fusus despectus, F. Islandicus, F. fenes- 

 trates, and Columbella haliceeti (a tertiary fossil) ; among Echino- 

 dermata, Cidaris papillcita and Echinus Norvegicus ; and the fine 

 branching Coral Lophohelia prolifera. In the deepest dredging made in 

 this part of the cruise (Station 17, 1230 fathoms), in which the minimum 

 temperature (shown by subsequent inquiry to be that of the bottom) was 

 37°'8, there occurred several new species and two new genera of the Area 

 family, Trochus minutissimus of Mighels (a North-xlmerican species) 

 having two conspicuous eyes, a species of Ampelisca (Crustacean) with 

 the usual number of four eyes, comparatively gigantic Foraminifera, and 

 siliceous Polycystina. The Foraminifera obtained in these and previous 

 dredgings in deep water were of great interest. A large proportion of 

 them belonged to the Arenaceous group, in which the calcareous shell is 

 replaced by a " test " formed'of agglutinated sand-grains ; and of this 

 group a large number of new types presented themselves, many of them 

 very remarkable both for size and complexity of structure. The Milio- 

 lines, as in the ' Lightning ' dredgings in the Warm area, were of exceed- 

 ingly large size ; and the Crist ellarians were both large and varied in form, 

 their axis of growth presenting every gradation from the rectilineal to the 

 spiral. An enormous Fish (Mola nasus), which is not uncommon on the 

 coasts of Upper Norway, was slowly swimming or floating on the sur- 

 face of the sea ; but we did not succeed in capturing it, for want of a 

 harpoon. 



34. We then put into Killibegs, Co. Donegal, and coaled there for our 

 trip to Rockall, w hich is an isolated and conical rock, standing out of the 

 Atlantic in Lat. 57° 35 f , and Long. 13° 41', at least 200 miles from the 

 nearest land. In anticipation of this trip requiring a clear fortnight, 

 coals were stacked on the deck, in addition to the usual stowage in the 

 bunkers, so as to provide a sufficient supply. Some delay was caused by 

 the non-arrival of a proper galvanometer to work Mr. Siemens's electro- 

 thermometric apparatus, which we were anxious again to try. — We left 

 Donegal Bay on the 27th of June, and returned to the mainland on the 

 9th of July, after dredging during seven days at depths exceeding 1200 

 fathoms, and on four other days at less depths. The greatest depth 



