The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-06-18
DEEP SEA SECRETS.
Important Discoveries Made IN
the Pacific Ocean.
Many Interesting Facts Learned About!
the Waters Along Our Western
Coast--Singuiar Changes
Occurring.

The United States steamer Albatross
lately completed survey Of certain
waters of the Pacific which have never,
been subjected heretofore to scientific
examination. There is a large portion
of the Pacific ocean lying off the north
west coast of South America which has
never been examined as to its fauna,
temperature and currents. The Alba.
tross, with Lieutenant Commander 2. l..
Tanner in command and Prof. Agassiz,
the greatest living naturalist, repre-
senting the United States fish commits
sion, was sent to discover what these
waters contain on the surface, at the,
bottom and in the intermediate depths.
The first work was done, says the
Chicago Post, between Panama bay and
the Cocos and Malpelo islands, off the.
coast of Ecuador. On March 90 work
was begun outside of these waters,
reaching from Cape San Francisco, on
the coast of Ecuador, to the Galapagos.
islands, and thence on up to Acapulco,
Mex, along the coast of the latter
country, through part of the Gulf of
California and returning back to
Guaymas. The work was thorough
and Prof Agassizs report will contain
much interesting data. He discovered,
while at the Galapagos islands, the al
most entire disappearance of the
tortoise for which the islands were for
merly celebrated. Not many years ago
whaling vessels put in at this place to
trade in these animals and hundreds
could be caught within an hour or two
On former trip the Albatross brought
to Washington lot of tortoises. On
her recent visit to the islands a days
search resulted in the capture of only
single specimen.
The fauna discovered by Prof
Agassiz and his assistants in these
waters are almost identical with that.
found in West Indian seas. This is ac--
cepted as additional and important
proof that the Isthmus of Panama is of
comparatively recent creation. In
precretaceous times the Caribbean sea
is supposed to have been q bay of the
Pacific ocean, and the similarity of the
fauna in both is believed 70 indicate the
truth of the theory.
Prof. Agassiz has been q little disap-
pointed in the specimens of deep sea
fauna secured. They are not nearly SO
rich as those found among the West
Indies and along the eastern coast of
North America. This is thought to be
due to the absence of any great current,
such as the Gulf stream in the Atlantic,
which carries with it large amounts of
food. The surface fauna was also in
striking contrast with that of the At
lantic from the same cause. There was
noticeable diminution of the great
amount Of animal matter which ia
found in the Gulf stream.
Probably the most interesting and
valuable result of the Albatross' work
was the practical use of a new instru-
ment for obtaining specimens from the
intermediate waters. There has never
been any trouble in ascertaining the
character Of the fauna that exists on
the surface of the water, as a scoop net
would bring in the required specimens,
and the living things at the bottom of
the sea could be discovered by dredging;
but it was never before possible to as,
certain with any degree of accuracy
what kind of fish or sea animals in
habited the middle waters. The in
strument in question is a net which can
be lowered to any desired depth and
then opened and closed, bringing up in
its folds whatever living thing was
swimming about in those depths. 1t
was generally used and found to be very
effective. Another practical use to
which this apparatus can be put is to.
discover the habits of many of the we'll
known food fishes which frequent the
surface at certain seasons and then dis
appear, like the mackerel and the
bluefish. It has never been known
where they go after their season at the
banks. 1t is now possible to learn
whether the theory that they seek the
intermediate waters in the open sea is
true.