114 



(if ;U.l «"/„„. 82.93 Voo7 a>^tl •"•'•♦'^ " o„. identify this water which bathed 

 the >oiithwest slope of the Grand Bank as arctic in origin. 



A comparison with stations 377. 378, and 379, taken along the 

 slope one month earlier. sIkav- that the water at the Tail had grown 

 colder during the interval. The colder water found in March at 

 the mid-section on the slope had been displaced by warmer water, 

 while at station 418, farthest to the northwest, lower temperatures 

 prevailed than earlier in the season.. Such a change in temperature 

 distribution indicates a transference of cold water to the northwest- 

 ward along the slope from the Tail, March 23 to April 23. The 

 salinities of 32.94 Voo '^'^d 32.95 '^4,, found in the surface layers at 



: MPeRATU(?E5 



AP«^."7-MAYa 



&KETCH NO. 9 



41 



46 



45 



stations 418 and 419. respectively, points toward an offshore expan- 

 sion of the fresher Banks water on the surface. The movement of 

 warm >alty water toward the slo])(' in tlie deeper layers, which was 

 found March 22. 90 miles northwest of the Tail, was not observed 

 here April 23. 



AVe coutinucd northward along the eastern edge of the Bank April 

 24-27 and took stations 421. 422, 423. and 428. Minimum tempera- 

 ture (»f —0.4°, —0.2°, and —0.3" were recorded at an average depth 

 of 7"» meters (41 fathoms). The salinities at this dej^th. viz. 33.24 



"' 33.22 '\/,„„ niul 33. 2S " i-esi)ectively, were sufficient to accord 



the water along the eastern si(>i)e of the Bank an arctic derivation. 

 .\t station 42S. howe\-er. the coldest watei', —1°. was found on the 

 I'otlom. whei-e its salinity legisiered .')3. 04 "/„„. which also designates 

 sueh ;i iiijivs as polar in character. 



