BIGELOW: EXPLORATIONS IN THE GULF OF MAINE. 61 
revealed no appreciable change in temperature of the bottom water 
in that region from the middle of July to the 25th of August. But 
comparison between the serial temperatures in Massachusetts Bay 
July 9-13 (Stations 1, 5, 6) and those on August 31 (Stations 44, 45, 46) 
shows a marked warming of the bottom water down to forty fathoms, 
though, as pointed out above (p. 44), the surface water had cooled 
appreciably during the interval between our two visits. Stations 6 
and 45 are especially instructive because made within a few miles of 
each other. The surface temperatures (fig. 9) were 61° at both; but 
whereas on July 14 the temperature was 43° at ten fathoms, and 
41.3° at twenty-seven fathoms, on August 31 the ten fathom tem- 
perature had risen about 10°, 7. e., to nearly 53°. At thirty fathoms 
there was also a rise; but of only 3°, 7. e., to 44.7° the bottom tempera- 
ture, in forty fathoms, being 43.1°. And the curves for Station 45, 
if continued downward, suggest that 40.3° would not have been met 
until a depth of about sixty-five fathoms was reached instead of at 
forty to forty-five fathoms as in early July. But as we were unable to 
make stations in the deep parts of the Bay on our second visit, it is 
impossible to state how far such a reconstruction would be correct, 
though we can safely say that the whole water-mass over the shallower 
parts of the Bay down to at least forty fathoms was several degrees 
warmer at the end of August, than it had been the beginning of July, 
except for the surface, which was slightly colder. 
One Station, (43), some twelve miles off Cape Cod, over the inner 
edge of the deep basin, in ninety-five fathoms, remains to complete 
our survey of the temperatures. With a surface reading of 60°, the 
intermediate temperatures at Station 43 below five fathoms were from 
1°-3° warmer at all depths than they were in Massachusetts Bay two 
days later (Stations 45 and 46). The temperature curve (fig. 10) is a 
regular one, without sudden angles. Comparison with the curve at 
Station 7 (fig. 10) shows that the bottom water at Station 43 was 1° 
warmer, 41.3° instead of 40.3°; and that it was not encountered until 
a depth of eighty fathoms was reached, instead of at fifty fathoms, 7. e., 
it was only fifteen instead of seventy-five fathoms thick. Station 43 
was colder at all depths above seven fathoms, warmer at all depths 
below that level. 
In considering the differences between Station 43 on the one hand, 
and Stations 2 and 7 on the other, the advance of the season and con- 
sequent cooling of the surface must be borne in mind. And this no 
doubt accounts for the lower temperature down to seven fathoms at 
the former. But the fact that Station 43 was warmer at all depths 
