BIGELOW: EXPLORATIONS IN THE GULF OF MAINE. 37 
the observations (p. 40). The thermometers were used in reversing 
cases of the Tanner type (Tanner, 1897, pl. 21) actuated by a propeller; 
and these worked very well. 
Two water-bottles were taken for collecting samples, a “Sigsbee’ 
(Tanner, 1897, pl. 24): and astop-cock bottle; but as the first trial of 
the “Sigsbee”’ showed that it could not be relied upon, all subsequent 
samples were obtained with the 
stop-cock bottle. This apparatus 
is a modification of the stop-cock 
bottle used on the MicHar Sars 
and highly recommended by Hel- 
land-Hansen and Nansen, (1909) 
the chief difference being that it is 
single instead of double, and actu- 
ated by a messenger instead of. by 
a propeller. In its essentials (fig. 
1) it consists of a brass tube, tinned 
on the inside, with a stop-cock at 
either end, the openings of the latter 
being only slightly smaller than the 
inside diameter of the tube. The 
mouth of the lower one carries a 
large copper funnel, which hastens 
the flow through the tube as it is 
being lowered and prevents water 
being carried downward in the bot- 
tle. Each stop-cock is hinged by a 
rod to the brass plate which carries 
the tripping gear, in such a way 
that when the bottle is raised both 
stop-cocks are open. When the 
bottle is tripped, the tube falls of 
its own weight, the hinge-rods turn- 
ing the cocks in their barrels, and 
closing them. Fig. 1.— Stop-cock water bottle. 
The tripping gear consists of a 
scear which engages the end of the upper hinge-rod when the tube is 
raised, and of a trigger which trips the scear when pushed downward 
against its spring by the messenger which is sent down along the wire 
rope. The dog, or ratchet engages the lower hinge-rod when the 
bottle falls and is closed, to prevent accidental opening. There is_a 
b 
