The fauna of the deep seaHickson, Sydney J. (Sydney John)
Science
The fauna of the deep sea
Hickson, Sydney J. (Sydney John)
Marine animals
Mr. Marshall Hall’s yacht, the ‘Norma,’ was employed for some time in
this work, and an extensive collection of deep-sea animals was made.
About the same time Professor L. Agassiz was busy on board the American
ship, the ‘Hassler,’ in continuing the work of Count Pourtales, and
later on the Germans fitted out the ‘Gazelle,’ and the French the still
more famous ‘Travailleur’ and ‘Talisman’ expeditions. Nor must we omit
to mention in this connection the cruise of the Italian vessel, the
‘Vittor Pessani,’ nor those of the British surveying vessels, the
‘Knight Errant’ and the ‘Triton,’ and the American vessels, ‘The Blake’
and the ‘Fish Hawk.’
But of all these expeditions, by far the most complete in all the
details of equipment, and the arrangements made for the publication of
the results, was the expedition fitted out in 1873 by the British
Government. The voyage of H.M.S. ‘Challenger’ is so familiar to all who
take an interest in the progress of scientific discovery, that it is not
necessary to do more than make a passing mention of it in this place.
The excellent books that were written by Wyville Thomson, by Moseley,
and by other members of the staff, have made the general reader familiar
with the narrative of that remarkable cruise and the most striking of
the many scientific discoveries that were made; while the numerous large
monographs that have been published during the past fourteen years give
opportunities to the naturalist of obtaining all the requisite
information concerning the detailed results of the expedition.
The expenditure of the large sum of money upon this expedition and the
publication of its reports has been abundantly justified. The
information obtained by the ‘Challenger’ will be for many years to come
the nucleus of our knowledge of the deep-sea fauna, the centre around
which all new facts will cluster, and the guide for further
investigations.
To say that the ‘Challenger’ accomplished all that was expected or
required would be to over-estimate the value of this great expedition,
but nevertheless it is difficult for us, even now, thoroughly to grasp
the importance of the results obtained or to analyse and classify the
numerous and very remarkable facts that were gained during her four
years’ cruise.
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