435 
of Edinburgh, Session 1885 - 86 . 
water over an area of about 15 square miles varies only from 86 to 
100 fathoms. When the sounding work was done the buoys, with 
their moorings, were got on board, and the swabs, which had 
been brought up without dragging, were found to contain a 
rich harvest of large crinoids of a delicate, reddish colour. Dr 
Herbert Carpenter has determined them to be Antedon phalan- 
gium of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coasts of Spain. 
It was obtained by the “ Porcupine ,J as far north as the Minch 
and the Faeroe Banks. Along with the crinoids pieces of broken 
coral and shells came up, all stained of an intense yellowish- 
green colour, which was freely communicated to the spirit into 
which the shells were put for preservation. The colouring matter 
so extracted was examined by Professor Hartley of Dublin, and 
found to be chlorophyll. Specimens of spirit coloured by deep- 
sea animals collected on the “ Challenger ” expedition were also 
examined, in consequence of this discovery, and they also were 
found to have the spectroscopic character of chlorophyll. 
The bottom temperature on the Seine bank was 60° *2 F. On 
leaving the Seine bank, the intention was to have reached in 
towards the African coast, then outwards to the small group of 
Salvage and Piton, and then to make a straight course to Grand 
Canary. The day after leaving the Seine bank the value of marine 
diagnosis was again vindicated. When about 170 miles south of 
the bank, a sounding gave 1189 fathoms with hard bottom, where 
at least 1800 fathoms were looked for. Another bank was imme- 
diately suspected. Three miles farther, on the same course, 1386 
fathoms were found. If a bank existed it had, therefore, been 
passed over. The course was immediately reversed, and after 
steaming 7 miles back a sounding gave 810 fathoms; 3 miles 
farther back 414 fathoms were found, and 2 miles farther 66 
fathoms. Half a mile beyond this sounding 230 fathoms were 
found. The ship was again turned round and steered to the south- 
ward for about a mile and a half, when a buoy with lights was put 
over in 175 fathoms, and, as it was already past midnight, the ship 
lay by it till daylight. As this bank lay very close to the proposed 
line of cable, two days were devoted to its exploration. It was 
found to be of an irregularly triangular shape, broader towards the 
north and tapering towards the south. Its greatest length from 
