BIGELOW: EXPLORATIONS OF THE COAST WATERS. 233 



The center of the Gulf, near Cashe's Ledge, was 2°-3° warmer 

 near the surface, colder below 40 meters in 1914 than in 1913, with 

 1915 intermediate between the two below 80 meters. But these 

 differences may be due to varying vertical circulation at different 

 distances from the Bank, as may the fact that the water was coldest 

 on the bottom in 1915, instead of at 100 meters, as in 1913 and 1914. 

 Salinity was lower here at all depths, in 1914 than in 1913, with 1915, 

 intermediate, the extreme variation being about AQ%o. 



In the western side of the Eastern Basin temperatures changed only 

 fractionally from 1912 to 1915 (apart from seasonal disturbances); 

 but salinity decreased from 1912 to 1914, at all depths, with an 

 alteration of .7o%oon the surface; A%q at 40 meters; .63%o at 100 

 meters; .35%o at 180 meters; and though 1915 apparently shows a 

 tendency toward the reestablishment of the earlier state, being inter- 

 mediate between 1914 and 1913, this may be a seasonal phenomenon 

 (p. 225). 



On German Bank both temperature and salinity were about the 

 same in 1914 and 1915, (seasonal differences considered, p. 205) as 

 in 1912, correspondingly warmer than in 1913 (1915). 



This comparison may be further extended, for 1912, 1913, and 1914 

 to the northern part of the Gulf and to its northern coastal zone, where 

 no late summer, or early autumn records are available for 1915. The 

 northern part of the Eastern Basin was colder, down to 120 meters, 

 in 1914 than in either 1912 or 1913, warmer, below 120 meters; as it 

 was off Mt. Desert Rock also. It was saltest in 1914, freshest in 1913, 

 with a difference of .64%o at 60 meters. Along the northeast coast of 

 Maine, however, both temperature and salinity as a whole varied but 

 little from year to year, though the vertical range of both was greatest 

 in 1914. But west of Penobscot Bay the water next the land was, as 

 a whole, colder, and fresher, in 1914 than in either 1912 or 1913, as 

 exemplified by our stations off Matinicus Island, and off Cape Eliza- 

 beth; this is also true of the deep trough west of Jeffrey's Ledge, 

 though at that locality the difference in temperature was limited to 

 the deeper layers, beV)w about 75 meters. 



Thus, except for the immediate surface, the upper 150 meters in 

 the whole western, central, and northern part of the Gulf was slightly 

 colder and consideral)ly fresher, in 1914 than in either of the preceding 

 years. On the contrary, the bottom of the Western Basin and the 

 northern and eastern parts of the Eastern Basin as a whole were just 

 the reverse, i. e., warmer and Salter in 1914 than in either 1913 or 1912, 

 with still higher temperatures and salinities in the former in 1915. 



