H.M.S. Challenger

Seen here are two instruments that were used on the H.M.S. Challenger as bottom samplers. As stated in the article where the drawings were found, many sites provided a wide variety of samples from the floor. It is hard to believe that devices that were so simplistic looking were capable of collecting such samples. The device on the right was used for deep sea water while the one on the left was for more shallow waters. The images were found on a website titled "The Voyage of the Challenger" which can be visited at: http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/marinebio/challenger.html

The article also describes these devices and gives the impression that they were lacking in many areas such as strength and the ability to close and trap samples inside. Therefore, it was believed that many samples were lost in the hauling process and it seems to me that perhaps there was many things that were left behind. I suppose it is impossible to see everything though, especially where enough information was collected to write 50 volumes.