May 24, 1858.] PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY— DEEP SEA SOUNDINGS. 331 
all the soundings, twenty-six in number, which were made in 
crossing the deep ocean, or between the 15° and 45° of W. long., 
with two exceptions, when stones and shingle were met with, have 
proved that the bottom, whether at the maximum depth of 2424 
fathoms, or of 954 fathoms on nearing the shores of Newfoundland, 
is composed of a soft mealy substance, to which Captain Dayman 
gives the name of ooze. 
Now it was a point of great interest to the geologist (one in 
which I took some personal interest before the expedition sailed, 
by communicating with Captain Washington, the Hydrographer) 
to collect any organic bodies brought up from these extreme 
depths. At my request, indeed, Professor Huxley drew up in- 
structions for the proper preservation of any such objects, which 
were carefully carried out by Commander Dayman and Dr. 
Gimlett, the medical officer of the expedition. The specimens of 
ooze, which have been examined by Professor Huxley, of the 
Government School of Mines, have led him to believe that nine- 
tenths of this fine muddy deposit consist of the minute animal 
organisms called Foraminifera, composed of carbonate of lime, and 
that 85 per cent, of these are referable to the genus Globigerina, in 
all its various and multiform stages of growth. 
Great as is the interest attached to the question, of whence this 
infinite quantity of these small creatures, mixed with some other 
Foraminifera, is derived, Professor Huxley does not pretend as yet 
to be capable of answering it entirely ; but, knowing that highly 
organised animals can live at depths of 300 or 400 fathoms, he is 
disposed to think that these vastly humbler creatures may have 
existed at the great depths from whence they are dredged up. Now 
this ooze, or fine marine mud, not a little resembles our chalk, 
which also contains the same genus Globigerina ; and just as the 
chalk has similar persistent characters, from the cliffs of Albion to 
Orenburg in Russia, # so this submarine ooze maintains the same 
aspect and composition over a nearly equal breadth between Britain 
and America. 
Let us hope that, when our Admiralty again decides upon ob- 
taining a systematic series of deep-sea soundings, a professed natu- 
ralist will be one of the party, in order that, among many curious 
problems relating to submarine life, he may determine whether 
foraminifera can exist at such great profundities, or whether, living 
* See 1 Russia in Europe,’ vol. i., p. 272. 
