330 American Fisheries Society 



We may conclude that extremely varied and most interest- 

 ing conditions of climate are to be found in the water, and that 

 the differences that exist there are much more easily studied 

 and the order of events more easily discovered than is the case 

 with the conditions in the atmosphere, seeing that in the latter 

 changes occur so rapidly. Nevertheless as water is not the 

 medium inhabited by man, the science of its weather is as yet 

 only in its infancy. 



The early classification of our Atlantic coast had to do 

 merely with such major divisions as correspond with changes 

 in latitude. Such were the Arctic province extending from the 

 pole south to Hudson Strait, the Syrtensian from the latter to 

 Cabot Strait and including Labrador and Newfoundland, the 

 Acadian from Cabot Strait to Cape Cod, the Virginian from 

 Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras, and others still farther southward. 



In the light of our present day knowledge such a division 

 of the waters is far from adequate. Any classification that 

 might be attempted now is fairly certain to be premature, yet an 

 indication of the varied waters we have as regards salinity and 

 temperature, the only elements of the climate hitherto inves- 

 tigated with us, may be of interest and value. Without giving 

 figures we may refer to different stages in salinity and in tem- 

 perature as follows: excluding fresh water, four grades in 

 salinity from most to least salt, namely, oceanic, bank, coastal, 

 and estuarial; three grades in temperature, warm, cool, and 

 cold. By combining these we get twelve kinds of climate, 

 nearly all of which are to be found along or off our Atlantic 

 coast; and each of these supports a more or less special fauna 

 and flora to show how important its influence upon life is. We 

 have the great ocean currents to thank for the varied condi- 

 tions in our waters. The Gulf Stream with warm oceanic clim- 

 ate comes opposite our shores and exhibits not only tropical 

 conditions but also a tropical assemblage of plants and animals. 

 The Labrador current brings the icebergs of the arctic regions 

 to our latitudes and displays a cold oceanic climate. In it many 



