contours, sediments, currents, and seawater 

 chemistry encountered during the cruise may 

 be found in other sections of this Oceano- 

 graphic Report (Ingham and Rutland; and 

 Barnes). 



Weather conditions were remarkably good 

 for early fall in the area so that bird observa- 

 tions were possible on almost all days (table 

 I). Daytime air temperatures ranged from 

 3.2° C to —8.6° C during the first week to 

 —6.6° C to —16.6° C in the last week. Tem- 

 peratures dropped about 4° C as the ship ap- 

 proached extensive areas of pack ice. Seas were 

 moderately calm throughout the cruise, in part 

 due to the proximity of pack ice. Winds were 

 seldom greater than 25 knots. What little pre- 

 cipitation there was, fell mostly as snow at 

 night. Days were generally overcast, but cloud 

 cover was high and visibility was seldom less 

 than 7 miles. Surface water temperature 

 ranged from 4.0° C in ice free areas early in 

 the cruise to —1.8° C later when ice began to 

 form in the study area. 



Seasonal change in hours of daylight is dra- 

 matic north of the Arctic Circle. At the 

 equinox, 22-24 September, we experienced 12 

 hours 19 minutes of daylight. This decreased 

 8 to 9 minutes a day so that by the end of the 

 cruise, 16-18 October, we had only 8 hours 50 

 minutes of daylight, a reduction of 25 percent. 



Pack ice was present or nearby throughout 

 the entire period that the ship was north of 

 Cape Lisburne. The relatively abrupt edge of 

 the arctic pack (shown in dotted lines in fig. 

 3) generally moves north and south with the 

 prevailing wind. It closed in on the study area 

 from the north during the course of the survey. 

 Our observations of ice conditions, shown as 

 oktas or eighths of total coverage on figure 3, 

 should be compared with the cruise track (fig. 

 1 and table I) . 



Conditions near the Bering Strait were more 

 moderate on 18 October. Air temperature 

 varied from —0.8° C to —1.7° C, wind and 

 waves were calm to moderate. Occasionally, the 

 sun appeared through the high clouds and visi- 

 bility was excellent. Sea surface temperature 

 ranged from 1.2° C to 2.4° C. 



Stomach contents from specimens prepared 

 aboard ship were preserved at once in formalin 

 while the remainder of the stomachs were re- 

 moved later and preserved in 70 percent alcohol 



and glycerine. Food items were identified by 

 Divoky with assistance from Mr. Bruce L. 

 Wing and Dr. Jay C. Quast (National Marine 

 Fisheries Service). Ectoparasites were col- 

 lected aboard ship and Mallophaga were later 

 identified by Dr. K. C. Emerson, research as- 

 sociate. Department of Entomology, Smith- 

 sonian Institution, where the specimens are 

 deposited. 



Midwater and benthic invertebrate faunal 

 samples collected during the cruise were 

 abundant in species and individuals (Wing, 

 elsewhere in this Oceanographic Report) ; but 

 fish, especially large individuals, were strangely 

 rare. The area may, however, be an important 

 "nursery" for young Arctic Cod (Boreogadus 

 saida) (Quast, personal communication). 



METHODS 



During daylight hours we maintained a 

 watch for birds and marine mammals from the 

 flying bridge of the GLACIER (48 feet above 

 waterline) whenever the ship was underway. 

 Occasionally weather conditions forced us to 

 retreat to the pilothouse (39 feet above water- 

 line) or the crow's nest (74 feet above water- 

 line). Visibility was good in all directions, 

 except astern from the pilothouse. Species, 

 numbers, time, and behavior and appearance 

 notes were recorded on sealog sheets at the 

 time of observation. Tracks, positions, and ice 

 conditions relative to the ship were plotted 

 later from bridge navigation data while 

 weather conditions, sea state, and water tem- 

 perature were recorded every 3 hours by the 

 ship's marine science technicians. General ice 

 condition reports were received on board ship 

 from the U.S. Navy station at Kodiak, Alaska, 

 based on air reconnaissance. On station we 

 recorded the presence and abundance of birds 

 and caught a few specimens on fishlines. When- 

 ever weather conditions, presence of birds, and 

 operability of small boats permitted, we went 

 over the side to collect birds for chemical 

 analysis, food habit studies, parasites and 

 museum specimens. Most of the 66 specimens 

 collected were frozen for later preparation 

 either as whole pickles or as skeletons, but a 

 few were prepared as spread-wing or study 

 skins aboard ship (table II). 



Frozen whole specimens of birds were turned 



113 



