Page:Physical Geography of the Sea and its Meteorology.djvu/343

Rh Bailey, of West Point—eminent microscopists both. The latter thus responded:—

587. Baileys letter.—"I am greatly obliged to you for the deep soundings you sent me last week, and I have looked at them with great interest. They are exactly what I have wanted to get hold of. The bottom of the ocean at the depth of more than two miles I hardly hoped ever to have a chance of examining; yet,, thanks to Brooke's contrivance, we have it clean and free from grease, so that it can at once be put under the microscope. I was greatly delighted to find that all these deep soundings are filled, with microscopic shells; not a particle of sand or gravel exists in them. They are chiefly made up of perfect little calcareous shells (Foraminifera), and contain, also, a number of silicious shells (Diatomaceæ). It is not probable that these animals lived at the depths where these shells are found, but I rather think that they inhabit the waters near the surface; and when they die, their shells settle to the bottom. With reference to this point, I shall be very glad to examine bottles of water from various depths which were brought home by the Dolphin, and any similar materials, either 'bottom,' or water from other localities. I shall study them carefully. . . . The results already obtained are of very great interest, and have many important bearings on geology and zoology. ... I hope you will induce as many as possible to collect soundings with Brooke's lead, in all parts of the world, so that we can map out the animalculæ. as you have the whales. Get your whalers also to collect mud from pancake ice, etc., in the polar regions; this is always full of interesting microscopic forms."

588. Specimens from the coral sea.—Lieutenant Brooke, of the North Pacific Exploring Expedition, procured specimens of the bottom from the depth of 2150 fathoms in the coral sea, lat. 13° S., long. 162° E. With regard to these, the admirable and lamented Bailey wrote in 1855, "You may be sure I was not backwards in taking a look at the specimens you sent me, which, from their locality, promised to be so interesting. The sounding from 2150 fathoms, although very small in quantity, is not so bad in quality, yielding representatives of most of the great groups of microscopic organisms usually found in marine sediments. The predominant forms are silicious spicules of sponges. Various forms of these occur: some long and spindle-shaped, or acicular; others pin-headed; some three-spined, etc., etc. The Diatomes (silicious.