184 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
we know that the old ideas of its poverty in 
animals and plants are quite erroneous. 
In respect to depth the Kara Sea is dis¬ 
tinguished by a special regularity, and by 
the absence of sudden changes. Along the 
east coast of Novaya Zemlya and Yaygats 
Island there runs a channel, up to 500 
metres in depth, filled with cold salt-water, 
which forms the haunt of a fauna rich not 
only in individuals, but also in a large 
number of remarkable and rare types, as 
Umbellula, Elpidia, Alecto, asterids of many 
kinds, &c. Towards the east the sea-bottom 
UMBELLULA FROM THE KARA SEA. 
A. Polype stem entire, one-half the natural size. 
B. Polype stem, upper part, one-third the natural size. 
