296 



DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN 



American coast-water). Farther north the salinity decreases, 

 being a little more than 35.5 per thousand off the south-western 

 coasts of Europe, and between 35.0 and 35.5 per thousand farther 



north off the British Isles towards the Faroe Islands and Iceland. 

 In the northern part of the ocean the saltest and warmest 

 water is found on the European side, the Gulf Stream making its 

 influence felt there, whereas the less salt and much colder water- 

 masses south of Greenland are derived from the polar currents. 



