218 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 

 FAUNA OF THE ST. GEOEGe's BANK AND ADJACENT WATERS. 



Professor Yerrill, in discussing the collections made by the 

 parties of the United States Commissioner of Fish and Fish- 

 eries ujDon the Coast Survey steamer Bache during her cruise 

 off the coast of New England in the summer of 1872, sums up 

 by stating that they represent six distinct faunas and sub- 

 faunas, as follows : 



Flrst^ the surface fauna outside of the Banks, and, at cer- 

 tain times, even extending over their outer slopes. This is 

 essentially the same as the fauna prevailing over the entire 

 surface of the central parts of the Atlantic Ocean, and shows 

 very clearly the direct effects of the Gulf Stream. 



Second^ the surface fauna inside of the Banks, which is de- 

 cidedly northern in character, very similar to that of the 

 Bay of Fundy. The contrast between the two shows that 

 the Gulf Stream is almost entirely turned aside by the Banks, 

 and has comparatively little effect upon the fauna of the 

 region between them and the coast. 



Thirds tlie fauna of the St. George's Bank itself. This is 

 decidedly boreal in character, and essentially identical with 

 that of the Bay of Fundy at corresponding depths, on simi- 

 lar bottoms, and in regions swept by strong currents. The 

 fauna of the southwestern part, however, is less boreal than 

 that of the northeastern. 



Fourth^ the fauna of the Le Have Banks, and off Halifax. 

 This, even at the moderate depth of twenty fathoms, is decid- 

 edly more arctic in character than that of the George's or 

 the Bay of Fundy at similar or even greater depths. 



Fifth^ between the George's and Le Have Banks and the 

 coast there is a great region of cold and comparatively deep 

 Avater in places more than 100 fathoms in depth with a 

 bottom of mud and fine sand, and communicating with the 

 great ocean-basin by a channel between the George's and 

 Le Have Banks, which is comparatively narrow and, in some 

 places, at least 150 fathoms deep. This partially inclosed re- 

 gion has, physically and zoologically, the essential features 

 of a gulf, and may be called the George's Gulf. The deeper 

 waters of the Bay of Fundy are directly continuous with 

 those of this area. The fauna of this gulf and of its outlet is 

 peculiarly rich in species new to our coast, and nearly iden- 



