140 Papers from the Marine Biological Laboratory at Tortugas. 



TRANSPORTING AGENTS OF THE FLORIDA COAST AND 

 THEIR EFFECTS. 



In the preceding pages an attempt has been made to give an account 

 of the character of the sediments accumulating along the shores of south- 

 ern Florida, to determine the sources of their constituents, to indicate 

 the processes by which they were brought to the sea, and to trace in 

 outline the stratigraphic distribution of similar material in the State. 

 It is now proposed to consider the destiny of the sediment delivered to 

 the ocean. This subject will be introduced by an account of the forces 

 operating in the ocean to distribute the sediments or accumulate them 

 in certain areas. 



Currents are the agency by which distribution is effected, and are 

 represented by three types, viz: (i) more or less constant oceanic cur- 

 rents; (2) tidal currents; (3) currents due to winds. 



Fig. 3. — Current Chart of Florida Water (from Pilot Chart, Hj^drographic 



Office, U.S.N.). 



CONSTANT CURRENTS. 



The most important constant current is the Gulf Stream, which 

 flows along the loo-fathom curve, passing between the Florida Keys 

 and Cuba on the south, and the eastern coast of Florida and the Bahamas 

 on the east. This current can not directly have much influence on the 



