REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. 429 



During the summer the distribution of salinity altered in such a way 

 that the saltest water found during the May cruise was close to the 

 coasts of Devon and Cornwall instead of in mid-channel, an abnormal 

 condition which continued, with slight modification, until the end of 

 the year. The broad tongue of 35-5 7oo S. off the west coasts of Ireland 

 and Scotland was almost unchanged, though its northern extremity had 

 retreated slightly. At the same time the salinity south of Ireland had 

 risen to 36"0 7oo S. as far north as latitude 50° N. It would appear, 

 however, that the water of 35"4 °/„„ S. now in the English Channel had 

 entered from the west rather than from the Bay of Biscay; this con- 

 clusion is somewhat doubtful, as the samples taken in the Bristol 

 Channel by various vessels do not agree very well among themselves, 

 though it is confirmed to a certain extent by the presence in the 

 plankton, as described below, of a large number of Pteropods of a 

 species which is common off the west of Ireland, though known u\ the 

 Bay of Biscay. 



The extra hydrographic cruise in September, 1905, over the south- 

 western stations (Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5), did not show any important 

 change, the highest salinity, 35-39 7oo. being found at Station 4 (55 

 miles west of Ushant). The high salinity water under the Cornish 

 coast appears in the meantime to have been moving slowly eastward, 

 keeping to the north side of the Channel and at the same time becoming 

 slightly fresher. During the last half of September it was on the line 

 joining the Needles to Cape La Hague, and three weeks later it was 

 observed a short distance east of the Isle of Wight. In November, 

 1905, the salinity of the Channel as a whole was high, reaching 

 35*3 Voo ill the narrows between the Isle of Wight and Cape Barfleur 

 and as far east as Beachy Head. Advantage was taken of the fine 

 weather to extend the cruise further west than usual, and an extra 

 station was worked at 47° 46' N., 7° 50' W., in 170 fathoms. The 

 salinity was 35*57 7c<. ^t this station and 35'52 7oo at Station 4. 



During December and January the salinity of the Channel continued 

 to rise, and at the beginning of February, 1906, water of 35'4 7oo S. 

 was found between Southampton and Havre, a decidedly high figure 

 for the position. 



The February cruise was carried out during the latter half of the 

 month, and showed that water of 35*3 7oo S. filled nearly the whole 

 length of the Channel, with the exception of a narrow band of 



