National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-06-03
Numerous Specimens Obtained During the
Cruise of the Steamer Albatross.
Cases and Tanks at the Smithsonian
Now Filled with the Collection.
Every Species from Minute Foraminifera to the High
est Forms Of Marine Animal Life.
Some Curioslties which VIII Probably
Seriously PuEzIo the Scientific World.

Tho Smithsonian institution has received
the last of the huge collection brought here
by the fish commission steamer Albatross
from her recently completed cruise in the
Caribbean sea aud gulf of Mexico and along
the South American coast.
The cases and tanks containing tho collec-
ton nearly ill the huge basement below the
chapel, while all the available space in tn Q
chapel itself is also filled with cases on Whit CHI
the staff Ut the Fish commission naturalists is
busily engaged In asserting, examining. and
identifying, as fur as possible, the specimens
obtained.
The Albatross in her cruise went frst TO
st. Thomas, in the Wiudward islands, thence
TO Trinidad and the Gulf of Pavia, on the
South American coast, to the island of
Curacao, the coast of Hayti, Santiago do
Duba, Kingston, Jamaica, and the border of
bays to the east Of that island, to Savanilla,
on the north coast of Now Granada, Aspin-
wall, Old Providence group, and Key West.
From Key West she went Co Havana and
along tho coast in that neighborhUod, thence
along the north coast to the west end Of
Cuba, aud back to Key West before return
ing here At each point, by officers aud men,
under direction of Prof. James t. Benedict,
the surface Shore aud bottom of tho
noighboring waters were thoroughly
searched for the wonders of marine animal
life, and tho results, carefully preserved, are
in these many tanks and cases now here
Besides these searches, the bottom of the sea
was trawled and dredged at many points,
ranging from twenty fathoms to over two
miles in depth, and much more was thus
added to the collection of wonders that the
sea has yielded up. The collection. as re-
ceved here amounted to many tons weight,
and comprises fully half u million specimens,
ranging from the minute forms of foramini-
fora, globgerina, and pteropods Shells and
worms, found on the bottom. to the highest
forms of marine animal life.
Many of the specimens found are of animals
heretofore known, but so rare that each indi-
vidual becomes grand scientific prize. In
this class is the linus crinus. or rock lily.
This is an animal which grows firmly on
rocks at the sea bottom, like plants of vogeta-
able growth, and is in form and general
appearance very like the well.known tigor
lily of our gardens. The stem is smooth
having tendril-like leaves, and is crowned
with a large number of branches, like tho
petals OF the lily. These petals" are the
mouths of tho plant, which feed it is supposed,
upon the smaller forms of Jelly fish and like
animals. Until the cruise of the United States
steamer Blake, three years ago, with Mr.,
Agassi2, but three specimens of this plant
animal had ever been found, and of these
uOuo NbTO pcllCCt' Az JilitJ WING LuO
while TRAVELLING just east of the entrance to
Havana, while dredging in shoal water near
shore, found q place in about one hundred
fathoms whcro a number of specimens were
secured. In this place the Albatross, with its
superior apparatus for examining the bottom,
secured, in two days work, about two
hundred perfect specimens. Prior to this
find, while on the south coast of Cuba,
near the bay of Santiago de Cuba, five
perfect specimens of this genius were found
by trawlins Mt tho depth of 500 to 800
iathoms, aud these specimens represented
three different varieties these near Havana
we're Of two, one of which had never been
seen before. At another haul of the deep soa
trawl, between Trinidad and Curacao, OFF
the coast of Venezuela, u mutilated specimen
of this family was brought up, which has
never before been seen. The large find of
these animal lilies is sufficient to enable the
naturalists of all the great museums of the
world to examine and study specimens Of the
two vol known varieties.
A number of fish were found which cannot
yet be determined. and one. curiously
shaped black one, is undoubtedly now to tho
scientific world.
Star fish in every variety of color, shape,
and size are included in the collection, from
u huge scarlet one of nearly two feet diane
ter to tiny ones from great depths that can
scarcely DO distinguished by tho naked eye,
aud ranging in numbers into many thou
sands. Unique among the many forms is q
tiny fellow that occupies in solitary state a
phial of alcohol. This is an infant flying fish
not over an inch in length. 1t is perfectly
developed its wings looking far more delicate
and unsubstantial than the dew on u spider
web, and was caught at sea by Mr.. Nye, one
of the collectors, with surface net while the
infant was feeding about clump of sea weed.
IL is believed TO be the only one Of its size
ever found.
HOLSTERS and their congeners, the crawiish
are plentiful while the crab family has hun.
dreds of varieties, and thousands OF individ.
uals from tho deep-sea liliputian not larger
than fly, to hermit that was caught living
in and travelling about with u huge c0nch
shell that weighed nearly five pounds, Corals
of every shape and variety, branch, rose
palm, horn, lace, and the lovely buff red and
purple and black sea ferns.
Not the least interesting are the hundreds
of phials containing specimens Of the sea
bottom. These are brought up by the cup
when making souudings, and what is here
in these pitfalls is the residue, after the oozo
that covers the ocean bed is washed away Oh
board ship. This fine sand, as it looks to be-
is composed of the shells of pteropods and
globigerina, and the tube covers of forami-
nIiera, that have lived in the sea their briei
day, and dying have sunk to where they
lay-how many hundreds of years 2-befort
being brought to the surface, These shell:
and tubes are so fino that only by aid of high
grade microscopes can their forms be oh.
served so small, in fact, that 1t is estimated
that ten millions would not occupy the space
OF cubic inch.
The number of fishes proper brought is not
so great, but lit is believed that specimens Of
every variety known to tho fauna Of the
Caribbean are embraced, except tho very
large and commonly known, such as the
whale, dolphin, porpoise, asa shark, The
beautiful varieties of parrot fish, angel fish
(well named for its beauty, the quaint COW
fish, and others peculiar to the American
tropics arc all to be found.
II will be month or two before the collec
ton cad be sufficiently examined to attempt
catalogue, after which time most of the
curiosities will be placed on exhibition in thu
National museum.
GIenVoOd Cemetery.
At the annual meeting Of the lotholders o
Elanwond (emptOrV at Mariniia hall. las