INTRODUCTION 
This manual provides instructions for coding and keypunching drift 
bottle data on a standard format. In these instructions, the term 
“a@rift bottle" includes ballasted and unballasted drift bottles, sea 
bed drifters, drift cards, and similar devices. The term does not 
include monitored drifting devices such as Swallow Floats. 
The provisional Drift Bottle Coding Form (Appendix I) 1s designed 
to accommodate both release data and release-recovery data. If used for 
reporting release data only, the portion of the coding form labeled 
RECOVERY INFORMATION is left blank. If used for reporting release- 
recovery data, both the recovery information and the original release 
data must be entered on the coding form. 
The card used by the NODC in this system is the standard 80-column 
punch card. A single format card is used to record both the release and 
release-recovery data. 
Drift bottle data will be available from the NODC on magnetic tape, 
punch cards, or as listings. Both the release data and the release- 
recovery data for each type of bottle are sorted geographically on the 
release position in the following sequence: Marsden square, 1-degree 
square, 1/4-degree square, year, month, day, institution, and ship 
(platform). By special request, these data may also be obtained sorted 
geographically on recovery position. 
