E. Among the smaller contributions which have been made towards our knowledge of the Atlantic Radiolarian fauna, the communications of Ehrenberg on the deposits obtained in sounding for the Atlantic cable, and on the Mexican Gulf Stream near Florida, deserve special mention (L. N. [24], pp. 138, 139-145).
232. Vertical Distribution.—The most important general result of the discoveries of the Challenger, as regards the vertical or bathymetrical distribution of the Radiolaria, is the interesting fact that numerous species of this class are found living at the most various depths of the sea, and that certain species are limited to particular bathymetrical zones, i.e., are adapted to the conditions which obtain there. In this respect three different Radiolarian faunas may be distinguished, which may be shortly termed "pelagic," "zonarial," and "abyssal." The pelagic Radiolaria swim at the surface, and when they sink (e.g., in a stormy sea), only descend to a small depth, probably not more than from 20 to 30 fathoms (§ [233]). The complicated conditions of existence created by the keen struggle for existence at the surface of the sea, give rise to the formation of very numerous pelagic species, especially of Porulosa (Spumellaria and Acantharia). The abyssal Radiolaria are very different from those just mentioned; they live at the bottom of the deep-sea, not resting upon nor attached to it, but probably floating at a little distance above it, and are adapted to the conditions of existence which obtain there (§ [235]). Here the Osculosa (Nassellaria and Phæodaria) seem to predominate. The zonarial Radiolaria live floating at various depths between the pelagic and abyssal species (§ [234]). In their morphological characters they gradually approach the pelagic forms upwards and the abyssal downwards.
The views which have hitherto been held regarding the bathymetrical or vertical distribution of the Radiolaria have been entirely altered by the magnificent discoveries of the Challenger, and especially by the important observations of Sir Wyville Thomson (L. N. [31]) and John Murray (L. N. [27]). These two distinguished deep-sea explorers have, as a result of their wide experience, been convinced that Radiolaria exist at all depths of the ocean, and that there are large numbers of true deep-sea species which are never found at the surface of the sea nor at slight depths (L. N. [31], vol. i. pp. 236-238; L. N. [27], pp. 523, 525). The result of my ten years' work upon the Challenger Radiolaria, and the comparative study of more than a thousand mountings from all depths, has only been to confirm this opinion, and I am further persuaded that it will some day be possible by the aid of suitable nets (not yet invented) to distinguish different faunistic zones in the various depths of the sea. In this connection may be mentioned the specially interesting fact that the species of Radiolaria of one and the same family present in the different depths characteristic morphological distinctions, which obviously correspond to their different physiological relations in the struggle for existence. Owing to those extensive discoveries, the representation which I gave in my Monograph (1862, L. N. [16], pp. 172-196) of the vertical distribution of the Radiolaria, and of their life in the greatest depths of the sea, has been entirely changed. Compare also Bütschli (L. N. [41], p. 466).
233. The Pelagic Fauna.—The surface of the open ocean seems everywhere, at a certain distance from the coast at least, to be peopled by crowds of living Radiolaria. In the tropical zone these pelagic crowds consist of many different species, whilst in the frigid zones, on the other hand, they are made up of many individuals belonging to but few species. Most of these inhabitants of the surface may be regarded as truly pelagic species, which either remain always at the surface or descend only very slightly below it. Probably most Porulosa (both Spumellaria and Acantharia) belong to this group; whilst but few Osculosa occur in it, and fewer Phæodaria than Nassellaria. In general the pelagic Radiolaria are distinguished from the abyssal by the more delicate and slender structure of their skeletons; the pores of the lattice-shells are larger, the intervening trabeculæ thinner; the armature of spines, spathillæ, anchors, &c., is more various and more highly developed. Numerous forms are to be found among the pelagic Radiolaria which have either an incomplete skeleton or none at all. When the pelagic forms leave the surface on account of unfavourable weather, they appear only to sink to slight depths (probably not below 20 or 30 fathoms). Within the limits of the same family the size of the pelagic species seems to be on an average greater than that of the related abyssal forms.
234. The Zonarial Fauna.—Between the pelagic fauna living at the surface of the open sea and the abyssal, which floats immediately over the bottom, there appears to be usually a middle fauna, which inhabits the different bathymetrical zones of the intermediate water, and hence may be shortly called the "zonarial" fauna. The different species of Radiolaria which inhabit these different strata in the same vertical column of water present differences corresponding to those of the plants composing the several zones of vegetation, which succeed each other at different heights on a mountain; they correspond to the different conditions of existence which are presented by the different strata of water, and to which they have become adapted in the struggle for existence. The existence of such bathymetrical zones has been shown by those important, if not numerous, observations of the Challenger, in which the tow-net was used at different depths at one and the same Station. In several cases the character of the Radiolarian fauna at different depths presented characteristic differences.
For the present, and until we are better acquainted with the characters of the Radiolarian fauna at different depths, we may distinguish provisionally the following five bathymetrical zones:—(1) The pelagic zone, extending from the surface to a depth of about 25 fathoms; (2) the pellucid zone, extending from 25 to 150 fathoms, or as far as the influence of the sunlight makes itself felt; (3) the obscure zone, extending from 150 to 2000 fathoms, or from the depth at which sunlight disappears to that at which the influence of the water containing carbonic acid begins and the calcareous organisms vanish; (4) the siliceous zone, extending from 2000 or 2500 to about 3000 fathoms, in which only siliceous not calcareous Rhizopoda are found, and in which the peculiar conditions of the lowest regions have not yet appeared; (5) the abyssal zone, in which the accumulation of the oceanic deposits, and the influence of the bottom currents, create new conditions of existence. So far as our isolated and incomplete observations of the zonarial Radiolarian fauna extend, it appears that the subclass Porulosa (Spumellaria and Acantharia) predominates in the two upper zones, and as the depth increases is gradually replaced by the subclass Osculosa (Nassellaria and Phæodaria), so that the latter predominates in the two lowest zones. The obscure zone which lies in the middle is probably the poorest in species. In general, the morphological characters of the zonarial fauna appear to change gradually upwards into the delicate form of the pelagic and downwards into the robust constitution of the abyssal; so also the average size of the individuals (within the limits of the same family) appears to increase upwards and decrease downwards.
235. The Abyssal Fauna.—The great majority of Radiolaria which have hitherto been observed, and which are described in the systematic portion of this Report, have been obtained from the bottom of the deep-sea, and more than half of all the species have been derived from the pure Radiolarian ooze, which forms the bed of the Central Pacific at depths of from 2000 to 4000 fathoms (§ [237]). Many of these abyssal forms were brought up with the malacoma uninjured, and they show, both when mounted immediately in balsam, and when preserved in alcohol, all the soft parts almost as clearly as fresh preparations of pelagic Radiolaria. These species are to be regarded as truly abyssal, i.e., as forms which live floating only a little distance above the bottom of the deep-sea, having become adapted to the peculiar conditions of life which obtain in the lowest regions of the ocean. Probably the majority of the Phæodaria belong to these abyssal Radiolaria, as well as a large number of Nassellaria, but on the other hand, only a small number of Acantharia and Spumellaria are found there. A character common to these abyssal forms, and rarely found in those from the surface or from slight depths, is found in their small size and their heavy massive skeletons, in which they strikingly resemble the fossil Radiolaria of Barbados and the Nicobar Islands. The lattice-work of the shell is coarser, its trabeculæ thicker and its pores smaller than in pelagic species of the same group; also the apophyses (spines, spathillæ, coronets, &c.), are much less developed than in the latter. From these true abyssal Radiolaria must be carefully distinguished those species whose empty skeletons, devoid of all soft parts, occur also in the Radiolarian ooze of the deep-sea, but are clearly only the sunken remains of dead forms, which have lived at the surface or in some of the upper zones.
236. Deposits containing Radiolaria.—The richest collection of Radiolaria is found in the deposits of ooze which form the bed of the ocean. Although the pelagic material skimmed from the surface of the sea, and the zonarial material taken by sinking the tow-net to various depths, are always more or less rich in Radiolaria, still the number of species thus obtained is, on the whole, much less than has hitherto been got merely from deep-sea deposits. Of course the skeletons found in the mud of the ocean-bed, may belong either to the abyssal species which live there (§ [235]), or to the zonarial (§ [234]), or to the pelagic species (§ [233]), for the siliceous skeletons of these latter sink to the bottom after their death. Almost all these remains found in the deposits belong to the siliceous "Polycystina" (Spumellaria and Nassellaria); Phæodaria occur but sparingly, and Acantharia are entirely wanting, for their acanthin skeleton readily dissolves. The abundance of Radiolaria varies greatly according to the composition and origin of the deposits. In general marine deposits may be divided into two main divisions, terrigenous and abyssal, or, more shortly, muds and oozes. The terrigenous deposits (or muds) include all those sediments which are made up for the most part of materials worn away from the coasts of continents and islands, or brought down into the sea by rivers. Their greatest extent from the coast is about 200 nautical miles. They contain varying quantities of Radiolaria, but much fewer than those of the next group. The abyssal deposits (or oozes) usually commence at a distance of from 100 to 200 nautical miles from the coast. In general they are characterised by great uniformity, corresponding to the constancy of the conditions under which they are laid down; they may be divided into three categories, the true Radiolarian ooze (§ [237]), Globigerina ooze (§ [238]), and red clay (§ [239]). Of these three most important deep-sea formations the first is by far the richest in Radiolaria, although the other two contain often very many siliceous shells.
The marvellous discoveries of the Challenger have thrown upon the nature of marine deposits an entirely new light, which justifies most important conclusions regarding the geographical distribution and geological significance of the Radiolaria. Since Dr. John Murray and the Abbé Renard will treat fully of these interesting relations in a forthcoming volume of the Challenger series (Report on the Deep-Sea Deposits), it will be sufficient here to refer to their preliminary publication already published (Narrative of the Cruise of H.M.S. Challenger, 1885, vol. ii. part ii. pp. 915-926); see also the earlier communications by John Murray (1876, L. N. [27], pp. 518-537), and by Sir Wyville Thomson (The Atlantic, L. N. [31], vol. i. pp. 206-246). In the Narrative (loc. cit., p. 916) the following table of marine deposits is given:—
| Terrigenous deposits. |  | Shore formations, |  | Found in inland seas and along the shores of continents. |
| Blue mud, | ||||
| Green mud and sand, | ||||
| Red mud, | ||||
| Volcanic mud and sand, |  | Found around oceanic islands and along the shores of continents. | ||
| Coral mud and sand, | ||||
| Coralline mud and sand, | ||||
| Abysmal deposits. |  | Globigerina ooze, |  | Found in the abysmal regions of the ocean basins. |
| Pteropod ooze, | ||||
| Diatom ooze, | ||||
| Radiolarian ooze, | ||||
| Red clay, |