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apparently of the remains of the same animals which were 
found living.” In a cast made in 350 fathoms nothing was 
brought up but a few dead corals. “ The echinoderms appear 
to have a wide distribution in depths,” and the gorgonias 
(sea-fans) are represented in 270 fathoms, by at least two 
species known to belong to the West Indian fauna, in 
moderate depths. The results of this attempt are certainly 
very interesting and important to marine zoology, although 
no casts were made in the deepest parts of the channel. 
With our present knowledge it is premature to assume the 
existence of the higher forms of animal life in the profound 
abysses of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but dredging in 
the Gulf of Mexico may he carried to such a depth as to have 
a most important, if not decisive, bearing upon this question, 
since the Coast Survey have sounded over 9000 feet in one 
instance, and several times to the extent of 6000 feet. 
Dredging has been very recently carried on at enormous 
depths by the Scandinavian expedition to Spitzbergen ; for it 
is stated, in the November number of the ‘ Annals and 
Magazine of Natural History,’ that Messrs. Malmgren and 
Sraitt have dredged up a variety of animals from a depth 
of 2000 feet, near Spitzbergen. — American Naturalist, 
January. 
Microscopy in Russia. — Some of the papers published in 
German and French as well as in the Russian language in 
the ‘Memoirs of the Imperial Academy of Sciences of St. 
Petersburg’ are exceedingly valuable and beautifully illus- 
trated. M. Owsjannikow has sent us some memoirs 
published by him within the last few years ; one, “ On the 
Structure of the Ear in the Lamprey,” is exceedingly good, 
as also that “ On the Auditory Organ in Cephalopoda .” The 
important papers of Kowalewsky “ On the Development of 
Amphioxus ” and on other subjects appear in the academy’s 
memoirs. 
Beck’s Concentric Rotating Stage. — The main object of 
this stage is to afford the means of giving a concentric 
rotation to the object in the field of view of the micro- 
scope; this is accomplished in the following manner: — 
The stage is fitted into a strong ring, which is firmly 
attached to the limb of the microscope, and is moved round 
by a rack-and-pinion adjustment, or, if a quick movement 
is desired, on pulling out the milled head as far as the 
stop will allow, a rapid rotation of the stage can be made 
with the hand. The top stage-plate has two sliding rests for 
clamping an object, and a movable hinged arm is fitted to 
