EOBERTS — HIGH AND LOW LIFE. 



5 



which Dr. "Wallich introduces to science the recent deposit. Light 

 from discoveries of to-day is thus thrown backward, and thus finds 

 reflection in analogous conditions of deep-sea deposits and buried 

 animal-life at a remote geological period, which in turn aids us in 

 investigating present life, and proves that conditions favourable to 

 Foraminifera-life could support Radiata, Echinodermata, and Mol- 

 lusca, which, could we dredge as well as sound in the deep Atlantic, 

 would doubtless reward our search. 



As yet, no companions to the Opliiocomce and Olobig evince have been 

 taken from the enormous depth at which these forms of life exist, 

 but a living Sevjpula was obtained from a sounding of six hundred 

 and eighty fathoms, in conjunction with a living Sjpirovhis, Other 

 free Annelids, and two amphipod Crustaceans, were also taken alive 

 at four hundred and forty-five fathoms ; depths, be it remembered, 

 far beyond any previously-known habitat. 



Some remarkable phenomena connected with atmospheric in- 

 fluences are noticed by Dr. Wallich during his cruise, such as the 

 almost entire absence of those varied forms of animal life which 

 usually present themselves upon the surface, such as Pteropocls. 

 This he attributes to the severity of the past season, which appeared 

 to have exercised such an influence upon surface-water life, that even 

 Diatomaceae were scantily represented. And another matter worthy 

 of note was the scarcity of drift-timber, in ordinary years borne 

 along by the deflection of the Gulf-stream, and cast upon the coast 

 of Greenland. This our learned author advisedly regards as a proof 

 of a variation in the course of the Gulf- stream proper, before it was 

 caught up and deflected by the Arctic current ; or, what is still more 

 probable, that this year has been marked by an extension of the 

 Arctic current, sufficiently great to overpower and deflect the Gulf- 

 stream, bear down its floating burden to other lands, and materially 

 lower the temperature of Northern Europe. 



Some sensible hints as to the surveying of the sea-bottom beneath 

 deep water are given by our author ; and he suggests, with a kindly 

 feeling towards further investigators, a sensible method of procuring 

 Diatomaceas, Polycystineee, &c, from sea-water, which being quite 

 new, and likely to turn many good things into the hands of those 

 who study these tiny but most important organisms, I am glad to in- 



