78 The Hydrography of the Faeroe- Shetland Channel 



from the stations (Fig. 6). All the observations were then plotted 

 upon vertical sections along that line. The method is no doubt open 

 to criticism, but the errors introduced cannot exceed the errors incidental 

 to the observations, and it makes the most of the available material. 



In tbe result, we have from the Walwins observations sections for 

 the following dates : 



July, 1900. 



May and June, 1901 . 



June and July, 1901. 



May, 1902. 



June, 1902. 



July, 1902 (temperature only). 



To these may be added, completing the existing record : 

 Jackal, August, 1893. 



,, (preliminary report only), August, 1902, 



making eight more or less complete pictures in all (Figs. 7 to lb). 1 



In the Faeroe-Shetland Channel we have to deal with the opposing 

 movements of water from the south and from the north. The 

 northward -moving currents are of two kinds, (a) drift currents, 

 produced at the surface by the winds in the locality ; and (b) a stream 

 current, which I have (Phil. Tram. A., vol. cxcvi., p. 113) proposed 

 to call the Norwegian branch of the European stream. This branch 

 forms part of a stream-current relieving the water banked up against 

 the Continental mass by the westerly winds ; it varies in strength 

 from year to year and from season to season, and its salinity also 

 varies slightly, a high salinity probably indicating a large proportion 

 of gulf-stream water, and a low salinity a large proportion of water 

 from the Labrador current and the northern area of the Atlantic. 

 Direct observations in the depth are still wanting, but the range of 

 salinity may be estimated at from 35 - 4 per mille to 35'7 per mille. 

 The southward-moving cm-rents are also of two kinds, (c) water from 



1 In these sections the Shetland end of the line is on the right, the Faeroe end 

 on the left. 



