350 DEPARTMENT OF THE NATAL SERVICE 



the spring was a failure, and the herring the fishermen got arrived comparatively late. 

 It was thus to be expected that the hydrographical and biological conditions in the 

 waters of the gulf of St. Lawrence might be somewhat unusual, and the seasonal 

 development considerably retarded. 



After this preliminary cruise the final plans of the expedition were settled.^ 

 For the scientific work the Canadian Government placed two ships at Dr. Hjort's 

 disposal, the C.G. cruisers Princess and Acadia. The Princess, after the death of 

 Commander Wakeham, commanded by Captain J. Chalifour, was to undertake two 

 cruises, one in the spring, and the other in the summer in the gulf of St. Lawrence, 

 and the Acadia, Commander Anderson, was to undertake two similar cruises in the 

 Atlantic east of Nova Scotia. The steam drifter No. 3S all the time was to carry on 

 fishing experiments in the gulf of S^t. Lawrence, this part of the expedition being 

 conducted by Captain Thor Iversen, who occasionally made hydrographical investiga- 

 tions, partly embodied in this account. In Souris, Prince Edward Island, a laboratory 

 had to be improvised for hydrographical and biological work, and here the author took 

 charge of the working up of the hydrographical material collected on the special 

 cruises. 



From May 29 to June 4 the C.G.S. Acadm made investigations in the Atlantic at 

 stations 1-36 marked on the map, plate I, while from June 9 to June 1.5 the C.G.S. 

 Princess made similar observations in the gulf of St. Lawrence at stations 3-26 marked 

 on the same map. 



From July 21 to July 29 the C.G.S. Acadia made observations in the Atlantic at 

 stations 37-91, while from August 3 to August 12 the C.G.S. Princess made similar 

 observations in the gulf of St. Lawrence at stations 27-50. 



All the time, Dr. Hjort superintended the scientific work at sea with several 

 collaborators. Water samples and temperatures were taken down to a depth of 400 

 metres at nearly all the stations, where such depths were found. 



In the laboratory at Souris the water samples were tested for salinity, the pre- 

 liminary calculations made, and the hydrographical material as a whole brought into 

 such a state as to facilitate its transportation to Norway, where the final elaboration 

 of the results was to be carried out after the conclusion of the expedition. By work- 

 ing up the material in this way immediately after each cruise, reliable conclusions 

 crvild be drawn as to the best course of the next cruise in the same waters. 



II. THE GEAE AND METHODS. 



In the hydrogrnpliical work on board, a reversing stopcock water-bottle of a new 

 pattern without frame, invented by Prof. Dr. Nansen (figs. 1 and 2)^ was used. It is 

 very light and easy to handle, and relatively cheap. The tube is made of tinned brass. 

 On the outside of the main tube two brass tubes of the ordinary type for thermometers 

 are fastened. The reversing mechanism is released by a messenger of the usual type 

 used in oceanographical work. 



Six of these water-bottles, brought over from Norway, were used in all the regular 

 cruises, and always worked very well. During the preliminary cruise up to Magdalen 

 islands in the first days of May a water-bottle of another pattern was used. 



The water samples were kept in ordinary magnesium citrate bottles, which were 

 found very satisfactory for the purpose. 



1 Prior to the actual work of the expedition. Dr. W. Bell Dawson, the head of the Tidal 

 Survey of Canada, was consulted as to the best routes for the various scientific cruises 

 embraced in the scheme. Dr. Dawson's opinion as to these was obtained, based upon the inves- 

 tigations already carried on for many years past in these waters — the special object in view 

 being the determination of the conditions affecting the migrations of the great schools of 

 economic fishes in the gulf and adjacent waters. 



lAccording to a letter from Dr. Nansen he has new improved the releasing meoUaii'sm of 

 his water bottle considerably and the messenger now used is not so heavy ns that shown in the 

 figures. 



