deparTxMEnt of terrestrial magnetism. 159 



Bermuda Islands. — Between July 2 and August 9 Mr. H. W. Fisk, mag- 

 netician, was assigned to the investigation of the well-known anomalous 

 conditions prevailing in the earth's magnetic field in this region. This work 

 was in continuation of certain previous investigations made chiefly by officers 

 of the British Admiralty and of the exploring vessel Challenger, and more 

 recently, as far as the magnetic declination was concerned, by Mr. J. F. Cole, 

 who worked under the auspices of the Bermuda Biological Survey (Prof. 

 E. L. Mark, Director). Mr. Fisk's work w^as likewise done in cooperation 

 with Professor Mark, who facilitated and furthered the work in every pos- 

 sible way. The Department is also under obligations for the courtesies 

 extended by the various local authorities. In addition to complete observa- 

 tions at 5 primary stations, approximate determinations of the three elements 

 were made at 35 secondary stations and dip and intensity results at 32 

 additional secondary stations. The reduction and discussion of this valuable 

 work is in progress ; the results will be embodied in a special report. 



Canada. — En route to Sitka the Director made magnetic observations at 

 Winnipeg (reoccupying the station of last year), at Banff, and at two 

 mountain stations in the vicinity, viz. Sulphur Mountain (7,350 feet above 

 sea-level), and Tunnel Mountain (5,540 feet), the station in the village of 

 Banff being at an altitude of 4,520 feet. The observations at these three 

 stations in the National Park of Canada were made with a special view of 

 ascertaining the suitability of this region for investigations respecting the 

 variation of the magnetic elements with altitude. The results showed that 

 but little, if any, local disturbance existed, so that it will be worth while 

 at some future time to carry on the investigations on a more elaborate scale 

 and to occupy still higher peaks, of which there are a number in the vicinity 

 comparatively accessible. 



Upon his return from Sitka, the Director also reoccupied the Coast and 

 Geodetic magnetic station of 1903, located at Victoria, British Columbia. 

 At Winnipeg a consultation was had with the commissioner of the Hudson 

 Bay Company, Mr. C. C. Chipman, regarding transportation facilities for 

 observers of the Department in the regions of Canada not easily accessible. 

 Arrangements will accordingly be made, with Mr. Chipman's cooperation, 

 for work in 1908 in the regions named. Thus it will be possible to secure 

 a series of magnetic stations along the Mackenzie River, reoccupying at 

 the same time certain stations at which observations have been made by 

 Franklin, Simpson, Lefroy, King, Klotz, Ogilvie, and others. 



Mr. J. C. Pearson, magnetic observer, after having been relieved of sea 

 duty upon arrival of the Galilee at Sitka, assisted the Director in the special 

 investigations at Treadwell Point, and left Juneau on August 16 for the 

 Yukon Territory, in order to secure magnetic observations at about 8 stations 

 between White Pass, Dawson, and the International Boundary, most of the 

 points being reoccupations as closely as possible of Ogilvie's stations of 



