greater proportion of returns from releases to 

 the east. Thus, a change in the angle of incidence 

 of the current relatively near shore must take 

 place about June; before then, the drift is roughly 

 parallel to the Islands, with a considerable north- 

 ward component, while later in the year the flow 

 is primarily from the east or northeast. The 

 evidence for this change is particularly clear 

 when figure 4 is compared with figures 7 and 8, 

 because the periods represented on these charts 

 all contain releases made northeast of the Islands. 



As might be expected, the change In the speed 

 and direction of drift with time of year coincides 

 in a general way with the changes In the North 

 Pacific trade wind system. In October through 

 April the windspeeds are lower and light, vari- 

 able winds are more frequent than in May through 

 September, when the winds exceed 14 miles per 

 hour 50 percent of the time, and 80 to 95 percent 

 of the time are from the northeast quadrant 

 (Blumenstock, 1961). 



RELEASES & RECOVERIES OF 



DRIFT BOTTLES & CARDS 



JANUARY - MARCH 



"M6°08 



Figure A. — Reported returns of drift bottles and cards, January - March. 



