68 



or c, depending upon the oceanographic and meteorologic conditions 

 and the position of the ice geographically. Path c has six most 

 probable points of departure. A berg embarking on path c may 

 follow any one of the branched arrows e, f, g, h, and i. In early 

 season — that is, in February and March — bergs characteristically 



Fig. 29.— The drift tracks that bergs have followed since 1914 around the Grand Bank, as compiled 

 from all records of the international ice patrol 



follow branch d, but later in April, May, and June the ice follows 

 any of the other branches farther to the south. Path i is, of course, 

 the most dangerous for the steamships, as the ice there slowly crosses 

 the United States-Europe steamship routes. Branch i, moreover, 

 invariably lies between meridians 49 and 47, but fortunately it is a 

 very small percentage of the total number of bergs taking path c 

 that ultimately reach southward along branch i. 



