The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-18


expedition reosntiy ssnt by Uncle Sam to
the South Pacific, has forwarded report
of results obtained mp to date, which are
In many respects very interesting. He
has re,ured numerous strange forms OF
marine life. including some hitherto I'M
known, has discovered an Immense basin
In the sea a Dor, and has secured qunn-
tity Of additional data Of the utmost
value TO science. Specimens OF the most
meta BILE animals viii be received In Wash
inston by next May. IL Is expected, In
boxes or jars and In watts Of alcohol; but
shess will DO merely q beginning, inas-
much as the trip OF the Albatross Is rot
yes nearing It's conclusion, being project
cd to cover an immense AREA In thit re-
gion OF the South Seas which possesses SO
many associations OF romance.
In making this attempt to open anew
the wondsr-book Of the &C ana volume
now-ths expedition elected to investi-
gate part Of the Psoino never before ex-
piored, and, with this idea In view, the
nose of the United States steamer Alba
tross, on leaving san Francisco, was
pointed southwest by south. direct for
the Narquesas. On the way a good many
soundings were made. the result being
the discovery OF vast hollow In tho sen
floor extending over nearly thirty degr ees
of latitude and continuing westward for
an undetermined distance. This hollow
which Professor Agassiz named Moser
Basin after the captain Of the ship. has
depth Of nearly four milss--a very notable
fact, inasrnuch as the normal depth OF
the ocean lotion 10 somewhat lees than
three miles. The greatest profundity was
found about 1900 m lies from San Francis
As may be easily imagined. the Alba
tross was not content to pass over this
enormous marine abyss without trying
to secure specimens Of some OF the AMI
mails to be found there. Many interest
ing forms were obtained by hauling tow
nets along the surface In the morning
and In the evening, when the weather
was calm. great numbers Of mollusks.
crusts Grams, jelly fishes, etc., being thus
gathered IN. One reason why this par
ticular kind of fishing Ia important sclen-
tincaliy speaking, 10 that not few OF
the creatures Of the depths spend the
period Of their infancy at or near the
surface. This 10 trus Of whole groups Of
moIlusks and marine worms, some of
which latter are only found at the surfac'
during their breediag seasons. The same
may bs said Of various shrImp-liks AMI
NAL of the ably sses the young Of which
live at the top of the sea. descending to
the bottom after they beoom adult
The young Of some fishes are known
positively to live near the surface, being
thus captured with comparative ease at
an early stage of their career, though al
most hopslessly beyond reach later on.
Professor Agassiz has secured . number
Of specimens illustrating this anomaly as
well as good many argonau,s-.hose
curious cephalopods (oftsp caught IN the
tow nets) concerning the life history of
which 50 very little was known until re-
gently. 1t Is now understood that only
the female occupies the delicate boat-like
shell, In which she voyages over the sea
on calm days with the help Of an upliftsd
membrane that serves her MS sail. The
m al m UGH smaller In size, has NO shell
but climbs into the boat to ind his mate
when the c,urting season arrives. The
female lays eggs which are hatehed inside
Of the tiny craft she occupies.
Hnuls were also made at various depths,
from COO feet to 2i00 feet, with tow nets
OF another kind. which are no constructed
AS to be opened when they Gave been Let
down to csrtsin point, and to be closed
again by an automatic device before being
drawn up. Thanks to this ooutrivanos,
the animals they catch are all from one
level in the ccean-a matter Of the most
I'M portance when IL Is desired to study
the fauna Of the different strata of the
sea. Professor Agasslz says that the
study Of the present expedition on this
sub eot has indicated that below 1sUO feet
thsre Is comparatively little marine life.
Near the surface. Of course. animal life IL
extremely dsnss and varied. but below
the level mentioned IL rapidly thins
out, though 10 10 likely that there IL
NO stratum entirely devoid Of living
Tor ms.
lPerhaps the most fasoin stlng feature OF
this kind Of Investigation 10 that there Is
alw avs Of least Q probability Of the dis
covery Of something entirely new and
very extraordinary. PROFESSIONALLY
there are many kinds Of monsters and
chimer dire in the depths Of the ocssn
which no mortal eye has ever seen or i'm
sgination pictured. Professor Agassiz
has gone 30 far a. to cay that he believes
there 10 such thing az he sea sarpent-at
all events. an animal corresponding more
or less TO the descriptions given OF that
marine horror. 10 osrtsinly sssms likely
that some prodisious creature has by its
occasional appearances afforded . basis
Of truth for what 10 30 generally supposed
to be q myth. observations oorc ,rning
the beast having bsen q matter Of writssn
history for at least three thousand years.
II any sharks exist In the oosAn one
would naturally expect to find them at
great depths; for, though the intsrme-
diats waters are so barren Of life, the
bottom has Its own peculiar fauna, osr-
tainly richer and askuredly strange to the
point OF wsirdasss. This abyssal region
especially invites the tnterrst Of the Alba
tross expedition. and 10 reached by means
Of . huge net In . frame, called trawl
10 lower this apparatus 70 this bottom
at depth Of three miles and haul 1t up
again tAkas most . day, a necessary pre-
liminsry being to make . sounding. The
sounding 10 made BY means Of q line of
piano wire. which carries thermometer
and little CUP with q spiiig bottom
AZ well az q heavy weight.
Whom the weight reaches the bottom,
the Thermometer turns upside dows and