12 INTERNATIONAL. ICE OBSERVATION AND ICE PATROL SERVICE. 



the cold Labrador and the warm Gulf Stream water, and it should 

 disintegrate rapidly. Many murres were seen this day, the sea-water 

 temperature being 50° F. The murre is a cold-water bird. At dark 

 the Seneca was in lat. 41° 40' N., long. 50° 07' W. and drifted during 

 the night. At daylight of the 28th search was renewed, the vessel 

 steaming in widening and open squares 20 miles between legs and 

 crossing the border of the two currents, which was plainly distinguished 

 by eddies and the choppy surface of the sea. At 7 a. m. on tms date 

 the steamship Canadian Trapper reported having sighted a ber^ in 

 lat. 41° 51' N., long. 50° 43' W., 30 miles to the NW. of our position. 

 A mirage was noted to the NW., where a portion of the sea appeared 

 to be lilted above the surrounding waters, with a streak of sky show- 

 ing between the two. From our noon position in lat. 41° 40' N., 

 long. 49° 50' W., we stood along the boundary between the Gulf 

 Stream and the Labrador Current to the position of the berg reported 

 by the Canadian Trapper, the temperature of the surface of the sea 

 changing at times as much as 20° in a few ship's lengths. Although 

 the visibility was high and several steamships stood across this area 

 on parallel courses, none of the last three bergs reported to us were 

 again sighted this day. 



The unusual mirage existing on this date must have affected all 

 astronomical observations to such an extent as to account for the 

 failure of these vessels to pick up these bergs again, or it may have 

 been that the same berg was reported in different positions on the 

 26th, 27th, and 28th. The inverted reflection of a steamer below 

 the horizon was observed, and a cask floating at the boundary of 

 the two streams loomed up out of all proportion to its actual size. 

 On the 28th we made the usual observations at oceanographic station 

 183, in lat. 41° 40^ N., long 49° 43' W. Dovekies, murres, and ful- 

 mars were seen this date. The weather was generally clear, with a 

 smooth sea, an unusual mirage, and was excellent for scouting 

 purposes. 



On the 29th we received a radiogram from the Tampa stating that 

 she had left Boston for the patrol waters. The day began with a 

 dense fog, so we steamed to the SW. to work into clear weather, 

 where observations could be made. At 2 p. m. the weather cleared, 

 and our position was located as lat. 41° 37' N., long. 51° 00' W. 

 The barometer fell during the day from 30.18 to 29.78, and the light 

 SSE. wind veered to W. by S. and increased to a strong breeze, which 

 caused a rough, choppy sea to make up. On this date received a 

 radiogram from Headquarters directing that Hydrographic, New 

 York, be infonned as to the position of the latest berg sign ted. Ac- 

 cordingly a radiogram was sent to Hydrograpiiic stating that the 

 three bergs reported farther south were probably one and the same; 

 that the positions were in warm water, and that until their disinte- 



f ration was assured the Seneca would continue to warn vessels to 

 eep south of lat. 41° 30' N. between meridians 48° W. and 51° W. 

 In the morning watch of the 30th the wind veered from W. by S. 

 to NW. by N. and blew a moderate gale, which caused a rough cross 

 sea. At 8.30 a. m. the steamship Paris passed a mile to the north- 

 ward of us and gave us a position in lat. 41° 23' N., long. 51° 48' W. 

 Our noon latitude, crossea by radio bearing from Cape Race, checked 

 fairly with the position given by the Paris. The 31st began with a 



