CHAP. VII.] DEEP-SEA TEMPERATURES. 309 
perature of —0°8 C., showing that we had passed 
the boundary, and were in the ‘cold area.’ 
At this point we requested Captain Calver to take 
a serial sounding, ascertaining the temperature at 
depths progressively increasing by 50 fathoms, which 
was done with the following result :— 
SMRPACOE Ne a nas) ce ge se oe ee SC: 
DO RPAGWOMEN Sei. See. 12) wun ek ie) Oe 
TOO > Se: 
SOD © ,, S20 
200 _ =C«ssy,  fataats) 
250M ws 5) Oa) 
500s. ; OG 
384 (Bottom) O58 
We thus ascertained that the minimum tempera- 
ture was at the bottom; and this we have found to be 
universally the case over the whole of the area which 
we have examined, whatever the bottom temperature 
might be. And we also ascertained that the decrease 
in heat from the surface downwards was by no means 
uniform, but that while after passing the surface 
layer it was tolerably regular for the first 200 
fathoms, there was an extraordinary fall amounting 
to upwards of 7 C. from 200 to 300 fathoms, at 
which latter depth the minimum is nearly gained. 
The next few observations, Stations 53 to 59, were 
all within the limits of the cold area, the bottom tem- 
perature at depths ranging from 360 to 630 fathoms, 
nowhere reaching the freezing-point of fresh water ; 
and at one point, Station 59, lat. 60° 21’ N., long. 
5°41’ W., at a depth of 580 fathoms, the index stand- 
ing so low as —1°3C. On Saturday the 21st we took 
a sounding in 187 fathoms, on the edge of the F&roe 
