208 BRITISH FISHERIES 



Atlantic water either at the north or south en- 

 trances, and the bulk of the area was filled with 

 water having the salinity characteristic of the 

 North Sea ; its saline contents were 34 to 35 per 

 thousand. The Baltic current had not begun to 

 flow out of the Skagerack ; on the contrary, there 

 was a decided inflow of Bank water northwards 

 along the coast of Jutland, and southwards along 

 the coast of Denmark, into the former area. 



In August 1893 this state of things had altered 

 greatly. North Sea water was restricted to the 

 central portion and the coastal margins, and from 

 the north and south large tongues of Atlantic water 

 were projecting. At the same time a very wide 

 surface current was flowing out from the Baltic 

 through the Cattegat and Skagerack. 



In November 1893 this restriction of North 

 Sea water and the increase of Atlantic water was 

 still in progress. But the outflowing current from 

 the Baltic had ceased, and instead of it there was an 

 influx of Bank water into the Skagerack from th< 

 north and south, as in May of the same year. 



The observations in February 1894 complete< 

 the yearly cycle. The tongues of oceanic watei 

 entering at the north and south had now become 

 continuous, and the greater portion of the Nortl 

 Sea was filled up by water of this origin. Nortl 

 Sea water proper was restricted to comparative! 1 

 narrow margins on either side. Bank water, 

 before, was flowing from the north down th< 



