Ruthebfurd. — On SalinonidaB. 241 



lie on the upper edge of the " Roaring Forties," along which 

 the westerly gales (forming the northern parts of circular 

 storms that extend into the Tasman Sea) prevail, so useful 

 to eastward-bound vessels. Generally the ocean shelves off 

 into deep water close to the coast, so that the conditions 

 are widely different from those in the comparatively shallow 

 North Sea, and approach more nearly to those of the Pacific 

 Coasts of South America. 



The fish frequenting the coasts of New Zealand corre- 

 spond somewhat with those found in similar latitudes in the 

 Northern Hemisphere — say, between Portugal and Madeira ; 

 and, roughly dividing the ocean belts into tropical, sub- 

 tropical, temperate, and frigid zones, I think that the ocean 

 surrounding New Zealand may be classed as intermediate 

 between subtropical and temperate. 



The great ocean-currents surrounding these Islands have 

 a distinct bearing on the question under discussion, and I give 

 my theories for what they are worth. In the ever-restless 

 Pacific there is always a creep north of the waters cooled by 

 the melting ice of the antarctic circle, which, sinking down, 

 trend north in the deeper ocean. Conversely, there is always 

 a set south of the warm water from the tropics, moving slowly 

 along nearer the surface. Together with these two forces, 

 there is a great easterly current influenced by the prevailing 

 westerly gales, which, owing to the contour of New Zealand, 

 is deflected towards the Chatham Islands. 



In support of this theory I may mention the following 

 interesting facts, supplied to me by Mr. Frederick Chapman, 

 of Dunedin : (1.) Telegraph-poles washed overboard from the 

 s.s. "Hinemoa," inFoveaux Strait, were some five weeks after- 

 wards found at the Chatham Islands. — (Captain Fairchild.) 

 (2.) A bucket washed overboard from the ship " New York," 

 between the Snares and Auckland Islands, landed at the 

 Chathams before the ship reached England. (3.) Wreckage 

 from the Snares (ship " Assaye ") landed on the Chathams, 

 and supplied the inhabitants with candles. (4.) A supply 

 of candles was washed ashore at the Chathams from the 

 wreckage of the ship " Lastingham," wrecked in Cook Strait. 

 (5.) Ice seen at the Chathams a few years ago was previously 

 unknown to the Maoris, who have probably only been living 

 on the islands sixty or seventy years. It is, however, reported 

 that many years ago icebergs were stranded on Mahia 

 Peninsula, north of Napier, and affected the climate there 

 for three successive seasons. 



Ice is seldom found so far north as the Auckland Islands, 

 but it reaches into the Australian Bight, and very rarely up 

 towards the Chathams. In other words, the ice-line sweeps 

 south to clear New Zealand. 

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