THINGS FROM THE SEA FLOOR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1099, 11 April 1911, Page 4

THINGS FROM THE SEA FLOOR.

FISHED UP BY THE TERRA NOVA. Numerous specimens of ocean lifedredg ed from (he Antarctic seas by the Terra Nova were 011 Friday, March 7, conveyed to the Christchurch Museum. The Christchurcli "Press" thus describe! them:—Upon a bench were standing between thirty and ioity glass jars, 01 different sizes, and similar in character tc those used by housekeepers for jam, the tops being tightly screwed on. 'i'hese represented about one-half of the contents ef one trawl, and as the trawl was put down on a large number of occasions some faint idea of the work before the scientist was conveyed. Contained in the jars wore, what appeared to the lay mind, different kinds ot seaweed and ot shells, but Mr, Lillie (one of the biologists of the expedition), referring to the contents of one jar, stated that it was an animal, or an organism in tho lower 6tages of development, and showing traces of the beginnings of vertebrae. Other jars contained strange, and in some cases beautiful, plant-like specimens, most of which came from M'Murdo Sound.

From the mass of information obtained from the examination of this spoil of the sea, it is honed that some important scientific generalisations may bo arrived at, especially in view of tho opportunity that exist® of comparing tho results obtained by the Terra Nova with the recorded results of the different expeditions which have visited tho Antarctic and made .•.scientific 'investigations of a similar character. One anticipated result, the one that will appeal directly and practically to tho general, non-scientific publie, refers to the possibility of acclimatising ,in tho Southern seas tho different kinds of fish found so plentifully in the northern ocean. Whether or not this is possible will depend on whether tho Southern seas contain the food supply necessary' for such fish, and this, it i' 9 hoped, will be determined by the examination and defining of the sen things dredged from thfc Antarctic Ocean.