42 TRAXSACTIOXS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Diiriiifj this last summer (July and August, 1911) I 

 devoted a longer time than usual to a more detailed 

 survey, with both bottom and surface nets, of a 

 considerable area oil' the West and North of Scotland. 

 The larger yacht we now have available for such work 

 renders it possible to go further, take a larger party and 

 remain out longer. Mr. AVm. Eiddell acted as my 

 Assistant on part of the cruise, and will help in working 

 up the details of the material collected for a later report. 

 I can only at present give a brief preliminary account 

 of the results obtained. Our observations extend from 

 the Irish Sea as far North as Noup of Noss in Shetland 

 (from 54° N. lat. to 60° N. lat.) and as far West as 

 Castle Bay in Barra. They include 152 observations of 

 the sea-temperature, and 142 of the salinity. On August 

 22nd, when crossing from the south end of Cantyre to 

 the North of Ireland, a series of nine temperature and 

 salinity observations were taken, one every hour during 

 the most important part of the traverse ; and on the 

 following day when crossing from Larne in Ireland to 

 Port Erin, another series of eleven liourl^- observations 

 was taken. During these two months (July Tth to 

 August 28rd) the temperatures varied from 11'2° C. to 

 17-8° C:, and salinities from 1-018 (=. 22-69 %„) to 1-0276 

 (= 34'87 %n), tbs latter reading being a very high 

 salinity for Biitish seas. It was recorded on August 

 12tli in tlie open sea to the East of the Shetlands, but 

 nearly as high a reading was obtained off ]*'air Island, 

 off North Ronaldsay and elsewliere in the Oikney seas, 

 and 1027 was obtained on July 13th and 14th, off 

 Canna and Rum on the West of Scotland. 



It would be premature, until the samples have been 

 more fully investigated, to make any positive statements 

 as to how this year's observations compare wiili those 



