Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-07
.ABYssEs OF THE SEA
Marine MarveIs Brought up by an
Exploring Expedition.
The Trip OF the Albatross what Professor
Agassiz Found in the Southern Pacific
Unfathonable Hole Located in the Bed
of tho Sea II Puzzle to All-NIany IIith-
erto Unknown Animals Found and
Classified.

Professor AgassIz, in charge Of the
deep-sea exploring expedition recently
sent by Uncle Sam to the South Pa
cific, has forwarded a report of results
obtained up to date. which are in many
respects very interesting, says the
Washington Post. He has secured nu-
merouS strange forms OF marine life
including some hitherto unknown; has
discovered an immense basin in the
sea floor, and has secured a quantity
of additional data of the utmost value
to science. Specimens of the most no.
table animals will be received in
Washington by next May, it is expect
ed. but these will he merely a begin
ming, inasmuch as the trip of the Alba
tross is not yet nearing it's completion
being projected to cover an immense
area in that region of the South Seas
which possesses so many associations
of romance.
In making this attempt to open anew
the wonder book of the ocean, vol
ume in which so little has been read
up to nOw-thc expedition elected to
investigate n part of the Pacific never
before explored, and with this idea in
view, the nose of the United States
steamer Albatr oss on leaving San
Francisco pointed southwest-b by south
direct for the Marquesas. On the way
Il good many soundinEs were made, the
result being the discovery of a vast
hollow in the sea-floor extending over
nearly thirty degrees of latitude, and
continuing westward for an undeter-
mined distance. This hollow, which
Professor Agassiz named Moser basin,
after the captain of the ship, has a
depth OF nearly four miles.
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 inter
esting forms were obtained by hauling
tow nets along the surface in the morn
ing and in the evening when the
weather was calm, great numbers of
mollusks, crustaceans, jelly fishes, etc.
being thus gathered in. One reason
why this particular kind of fishing is
important, scientifically speaking, is
that not a few of The creatures of the
depths spend the period of their in
FANCY near the surface. This is true
or whole groups OF mollusks and ma
rine worms, some of which latter are
only round at the surface during their
breeding season. The same may be
SAID OF various shrimp-lilke animals OF
the abysses the young OF which live
at the top OF the sea, descending to the
bottom after they become adult
Hauls were also made at various
depths from 600 feet to 2.10O feet. with
two nets OF another kind which are sc
constructed as to be opened when they
have been let down to certain point
and to be closed again by an automatic
device before being drawn I'D. Thanks
to this continuance. the animals they
catch are all from one level of the
ocean-a matter of the utmost import
nnce when It is desired to study the
fauna OF the different strata of the sea
Professor Agassiz says that the stud,
Of the present expedition on this sub
5eot has indicated that below 1900 feet
there is comparatively little marine life
Near the surface. of course animal life
is extremely dense and varied but be-
low the level mentioned it rapidly thins
out, though 1t is likely that there is nc
stratum entirely devoid of living forms
SEARCH FOR SHARKS.
Perhaps the most fascinating feature
OF this kind of investigation Is that
there is always at least probability OF
the discovery of something entirely
now and worry extraordinary. Unques-
tionabiy there are many kinds OF mons