The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-18
Discoveries Made Blythe
AlbatrosS South of
the Equator.
LIFE AT GREAT PRESSURE.
Some Specimens Explode on Being
Brought TO Top OF water-phospho.
reseenee and Protective Colorins.

CURIOUS revelations regarding life az
NJ great depths in the sea are afforded
W Dy the report OF the Aihatross expt~
petition OF 1891. which has just SOS
into print as one OF tho memoirs OF the
Harvard Museum Of Comparative L0ologN
The AlbatroSs - now exploring the south
western Pacific The survey effected early
In 1921 covered narrow belt near the
American coast OF the same ocean, FROM
a point degree south Of the equator %
y degrees north. The Investigation was
the first Of its kind TO reveal the situation
at considerable depths In tropical waters
A number 81 interesting discoveries wers
made and the most important rslated to
the forms Of life found at one and two
miles below the surface.
or the 50 specimens obtained by means
Of travis. ane-auarter possessed little nov
city because they came from high levels
But 40 Were taken lower down Theses
Included thirty-three families. 100 genera
and in species and hardly Is per cent. of
them had been previously described by ma
turalists
The greater depths OF the sea are char
actsrizei by severe cold. enormous pres
surcs and a total ABSENCE OF sunlight Tho
lowest temperature recorded by the Al
hatrcss was &C. and in that no fewer than
thirty genera 81 nsh were founi II u
evident thar lie Is abundant at depths Of
a mile or two. IN spite Of the disadvantages
tifat are encountered there. II may be OBJ.
served in passing that fishes have been
found at a temperature Ave degrees lower
than that Just cited
II Is believed that at "a depth ~ two
hundred fathoms daylight disappears AL
together. And yet the fishes discovered
at very low levels were provided with
eyes that showed uac Had the sense OF
sight been lost altogether. the eye would
detcriorate In structure and become rudi-
mentafy. But with the exception OF only
a dozen species that were practically
blind. an OF the atiysmal life found by the
Albatross was blessed with u power af
vision. THIS fact IL explained by the ex-
istence OF an artificial light produced by
some Of tho fsh. This luminosity often
covered the whole OF the fshs body, and
was phosphorescent ia character Some
of the fish had special searehlights and
refectors. and carried complicated electric
apparatus with them. Bat these were es-
ceptional creatures
Another popularity of increasing depth
that was observed Is that well defined
markings, Hike hands and spots. disappear
and tho hue of nsh becomes more uni-
form usually brown or black, But over
this IL often found temporary veil cf
! grrenish blue. which serves 10 save the
FISH from it's enemies by making IT almost
Invisible. This IL an instance OF pro-
, tcctive coloring." so frequently observed
IN other forms Of life. The general tint
OF the sen bottom is pale green or yell
lowish green and when fish either vol.
unfairly or fundamentally assumes this
hue u can scarcely be detected. Many
OF the specimens that were taken from the
Pacific waters by the Alhatross would
show this delicate tint for a short time.
but Il would prove fugitive. and soon dis
appear especially after the fsh waz drop
ped into alcohol for preservation.
X was also noticed that tho lower the
habitat Of the fish the less firm was his
tissue. and tho more cariiiagfnous his
bones fhe scales grew thinner too.
Some OF these characteristics. like nnDbl-
ness, doubtless disappear when the hsh
Ia immersed under great pressure.