INTRACONTINENTAL SEAS 113 



Of the broader, or Biscayan type, on the east Pacific border, only 

 the Gulf of Panama need be mentioned as of sufficient size and 

 importance. This descends to 3,665 meters. On the Atlantic bor- 

 der, besides the Biscayan, may be noted the Gulf of Guinea (to 

 4,000 meters), off the African coast. Of a special type is the Gulf 

 of Cadiz (3,000 to 4,000 meters), as the funnel sea between Spain 

 and Morocco is called. This has all the characters of a typical 

 funnel sea of the Biscayan type, but opens by the Straits of Gibral- 

 tar into the Roman Mediterranean, making it more truly a funnel 

 than Biscay. Of a similar type, though in form related to the 

 Californian Sea, is the Gulf of Oman, connecting the Persian Gulf 

 with the Indian Ocean (3,292 meters) and the Gulf of Aden, the 

 continuation of the Red Sea (to 3,584 meters). 



An extreme case of the Fundy type is seen in the estuary of the 

 Rio de la Plata, which has a depth of only 26 meters at the mouth. 

 Neither the Arctic nor the West Pacific furnishes examples of 

 dependent seas. 



Examples of subordinate funnel seas, situated on a mediter- 

 ranean instead of an ocean, are found in the Golfe di Taranto, 

 southern Italy, and the Golfe du Lion, southern France. Both 

 descend approximately to 2,000 meters at the mouth. Of the same 

 character is the Gulf of Sidra on the north coast of Africa. All 

 of these are of the Biscayan type. The Gulf of Suez at the head 

 of the Red Sea may be taken as an example of a subordinate funnel 

 sea of the Fundy type, though its channel is rather narrow and 

 tortuous. The Gulf of Akabah, on the other hand, forming the 

 east branch of the head of the Red Sea, is a subordinate mediter- 

 ranean of the land-locked type. 



An example of a complex funnel sea. approaching in some of its 

 characters a mediterranean of the marginal type, is seen in the Gulf 

 of St. Lawrence — the mouth of the river of that name. This 

 descends regularly to 572 meters, but rises again from Cabot Straits 

 outward to 410 meters before falling ofif to deep water. It has two 

 arms, one from north of Anticosti, the other separating Labrador 

 and Newfoundland. A continuous deep channel is said to exist, 

 however, and the valley is explained as a Tertiary erosion valley. 



- SUMMARY OF CLASSIFICATION. 



The classification of seas may be summarized as follows : 

 I. Intercontinental seas or oceans. 



Zones: Pelagic, littoral, abyssal. 

 Examples: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic. 



