CHAPTER II. 



BA:N^KS of GS^EWFOUl^DIiAND AND NOVA SCOTIA BANKS. 



rieniish cap, the eastern of the Newfoundland banks, extends, 

 within the 100-fathom line, about 50 miles north and south and 25 

 miles east and west. The least depth yet found on the bank is 58 

 fathoms, near its southern end in latitude 46° 53' N., longitude 44° 

 38' W., the bottom being sand, mud, pebbles, and large stones. It 

 has only been partly examined. There is deep water between the 

 Flemish cap and Great bank. 



Great bank of Newfoundland. — This bank extends between 

 the parallels of 48° 35' and 42° 54' N. latitude on the meridian of 

 50^ W. longitude, and between the meridians of 47° 35' and 57° 20' 

 W. longitude on the parallel of the Virgin rocks, 46° 25' N. latitude ; 

 this includes St. Pierre and Green banks, which are in reality a por- 

 tion of the Great bank. 



The form of the Great bank is irregular, but from its eastern limit 

 on the parallel of 46° 25' N. latitude its edge trends southwestward 

 for about 230 miles, and the water on the bank near this edge de- 

 creases in depth, so that on the parallel of 44° N. there is a depth of 

 only 22 fathoms. On the parallel of 42° 54' N. and meridian of 

 50° W. the bank falls into deep water, and its 60-fathom edge trends 

 northwestward. 



The general depth of water on the Great bank, westward to longi- 

 tude 52° W., varies from 30 to 45 fathoms, and the bottom is usually 

 sand, gravel, or broken shells. The only known shoals are the Virgin 

 rocks and banks and the Eastern shoals. 



WestM'ard of longitvide 52° W., the depth on the shoaler parts of 

 the bank varies from 20 to 50 fathoms, but these shoal parts are 

 separated by channels of deeper water, in one of which, extending 

 southward from Placentia bay, there is a depth of 142 fathoms. 



Southeastward of Ballard bank, near cape Race, there is a channel 

 about 20 miles wide and 80 to 100 fathoms deep. 



Birds. — Approach to the Great bank of Newfoundland is gener- 

 ally indicated by an increasing number of sea fowl around the vessel. 

 The Great Shearwater, well known to fishermen by the name of 



76 



