431 



and Walther & Schirlitz M noticed in some places in the Gulf 

 of Naples that the bottom-waters contained a surplus of carbonic 

 acid over and above that corresponding to fully saturated bicar- 

 bonates. This too must correspond to a very high tension. If 

 waters, such as these, should rise to the surface and become 

 dispersed over a considerable area, there can be no doubt that 

 they would have a considerable influence upon the percentage 

 of carbonic acid in the air above them. 



Instances of this kind, it is true, are not yet known with 

 certainty, but, as no tension-determinations except my own 

 have been made, it seems reasonable to think that they will be 

 found in the future, and ! especially want to suggest the 

 possibility that the abnormal percentages of carbonic acid in 

 the air of Disko may be due to this cause. 



Some slight evidence may be brought forward in support 

 of this view: 



1. I have made some determinations of the tension in the 

 sea-water along the coast of Disko. In most places the sea- 

 water was mixed with water from the glacier-rivers and conse- 

 quently more or less turbid ; but in the southern part of the 

 Disko-Fjord and off the south-western coast, where very few 

 and small rivers come down from the mountains, it was found 

 to be perfectly clear. 



According to the analyses all turbid waters showed low 

 tensions of carbonic acid (O.oi to. 0.035 %), while the clear 

 waters showed high (0.035—0.06). The highest value was found 

 200 m. off Uvifak, where only one small river is found in a 

 distance of more than 10 miles. It is perhaps reasonable to 

 expect that still higher values would have been found in the 

 open sea, had it been possible to examine this, but it must 

 be remembered, on the other hand, that a sample of water 



'i Zeitschr. der geol. Ges. Bd. 38. 1886. 



