272 



Report on Physical Investigations. 



By 

 H. N. Dickson, F.R.S.E. 



The unusually severe weather of the last eight months has made 

 it impossible to continue the observations in the Channel with any 

 degi'ee of regularity ; only two trips have been made since that in 

 June, of which a preliminary report was published in the last 

 number of the Journal. The first of these, in November, included 

 station VIII of the previous cruise, off the Bill of Portland in mid- 

 channel, and the previous stations XIII and XIV, in Start Bay, 

 also station I off Bolt Head. Besides these, soundings were taken 

 at an additional station in mid- channel, south of Start Bay, and at 

 four points in Start Bay itself, near land. The cruise was unfortu- 

 nately interrupted by a gale which necessitated taking shelter for 

 thirty-six hours in Portland Roads. 



The second trip was made on March 1st and 2nd, with the view 

 of obtaining temperature observations as nearly as possible at the 

 annual minimum. After sounding at stations I and XIV, and 

 making an unsuccessful attempt at station XIII, we were again 

 compelled to return to Plymouth by unfavourable weather. 



As regards temperature observations, the additional data show that 

 in November the distribution is extremely uniform, and in general 

 the temperature is rather more than 2 F. warmer than in June. 

 In March, again, the few observations obtained indicate a general fall 

 of about 8° F. since November. In neither case was the abnormal 

 distribution found in Start Bay in June reproduced (see previous 

 paper. Journal M. B. A. ii, 2, p. 159) and its reappearance next 

 summer may be looked for with interest, as it seems to suggest that 

 in the western portion of the Bay, a large mass of water is partially 

 cut off from the general circulation, and subjected to the heating 

 action of the sun^s rays without mechanical mixing. 



During the cruise in November, sixteen samples of bottom and 



