CANADIAN FISHERIES EXPEDITION, /9/.}-/.J xxiii 



pis. 2, 4, and 6, where the sections of the spring hydrographical cruises are drawn in 

 situ. On examination of these, it will be seen that the first observations immediately 

 revealed the existence of a distinctly marked light coastal layer with low tempera- 

 ture. At the outermost station (section V, 10) the warm and salt ocean water was 

 encountered. In the course of the cruise two pronounced temperature minima (below 

 0°C) were met with, one off Halifax and one off the Continental Shelf. In the latter 

 case, the temperature at 75 m. depth reached the extremely low figiire of -1-7° C. 

 (Acadia station 12). 



It was obvious, of course, that the former of these two minima must be due to a 

 cold (and fresher) current from the gulf of St. Lawrence, while the other would pre- 

 sumably be the last outpost of the cold Labrador current, already encountered by the 

 Michael ^Sars in 1910, and here shown in the section, fig. 1, as mentioned in the fore- 

 going. 



It therefore seemed to me imperative to shape a course up towards the banks south 

 of Newfoundland, in order to rediscover this water layer, if possible. This we suc- 

 ceeded in doing (see Sandstrom's pi. 4, sections VI and VII, stations 21-25), find- 

 ing the sea floor on the banks covered with a cold layer, th6 temperatures going right 

 down to -1-4° C (station 24), or about the same figure as found ])y the Michael Sar.s 

 in July. 1910, off St. John's Newfoundland. 



This point heing thus disposed of, the sections VIII and IX were then taken, with 

 a view to obtaining good sections both of the water pouring into and out of Cabot 

 strait, and of the connection between the outward current from the gulf of St. Law- 

 rence and the westerly drift off Halifax. Sandstrom's pi. 4 shows at a glance how the 

 temperatures alone suffice to reveal the connection between the cold water layers from 

 the gulf round cape Breton and along the coast of Nova Scotia. Furthermore, we 

 notice the inflow from the Newfoundland area into the gulf, along the north side of 

 (Jabot strait; and finally, the sections also indicate the connection between the cold 

 Labrador water and the temi^erature minimum off the Continental Shelf on the outer 

 side of the Sable Island bank. 



From the 9th to the 15th June, or only five days after the conclusion of the 

 Acadia's cruise, the C.G.S. Princess set out to continue the investigations in the gulf 

 of St. Lawrence. Here, two large sections were made across the well-known Gaspe 

 current, as also one section from the north coast of the gulf to Bay of Islands. PI. 

 4 shows distinctly the fresher surface layers in Magdalen bay, and along the north 

 coast, while the eastern part of the gulf has a higher salinity at the surface. It is 

 interesting to follow the high salinity from the open sea all through the Laurentian 

 channel in towards the mouth of the St. Lawrence river. The temperatures (Sand- 

 strom's pi. 6) show that the lower figures, under 0° C represent a great intermediate 

 layer covering the chief banks in Magdalen bay, off the north coast, and off the wes- 

 tern shores of Newfoundland. These points are of the highest importance to the study 

 of all biological questions. 



These cruises had thus showed that it was possible to obtain good sections of the 

 principal currents, and the plan here followed was therefore, in essentials, taken as 

 a basis for the later summer cruises. 



A similar rapid survey of these is best obtained by referring to Sandstrom's pis. 3, 

 5, and 7, and comparing the same with those for the previous cruises (pis. 2, 4, and 6). 



It will soon be apparent that the quantity of fresh water has now considerably 

 increased, especially on the Gasj^e coast, and in the mixed layers, which are essentially 

 fresher even far out at sea. A comparison of the two plates 6 and 7 very clearly 

 ■shows the same thing. On the other hand, the saltest water which lies 

 deeper down seems to have riisen considerably, a feature which calls to mind the funda- 

 mental investigations of Patterson and Ekman in the Skagerak on the European side, 

 resembling in many respects these Canadian waters. The figures for temperature 

 naturally exhibit a marked increase on the surface, and a reduction in the thickness of 



