BIGELOW: EXPLORATIONS IN THE GULF OF MAINE. 



37 



the observations (p. 40). The thermometers were used in reversing 

 cases of the Tanner type (Tanner, 1897, pi. 21) actuated by a propeller; 

 and these worked very well. 



Two water-bottles were taken for collecting samples, a "Sigsbee" 

 (Tanner, 1897, pi. 24) : and a stop-cock bottle; but as the first trial of 

 the "Sigsbee" showed that it could not be relied upon, all subsequent 

 samples were obtained with the 

 stop-cock bottle. This apparatus 

 is a modification of the stop-cock 

 bottle used on the Michael Sars 

 and highly recommended by Hel- 

 land-Hansen and Nansen, (1909) 

 the chief difference being that it is 

 single instead of double, and actu- 

 ated by a messenger instead of by 

 a propeller. In its essentials (fig. 

 1) it consists of a brass tube, tinned 

 on the inside, with a stop-cock at 

 either end, the openings of the latter 

 being only slightly smaller than the 

 inside diameter of the tube. The 

 mouth of the lower one carries a 

 large copper funnel, which hastens 

 the flow through the tube as it is 

 being lowered and prevents water 

 being carried downward in the bot- 

 tle. Each stop-cock is hinged by a 

 rod to the brass plate which carries 

 the tripping gear, in such a way 

 that when the bottle is raised both 

 stop-cocks are open. When the 

 bottle is tripped, the tube falls of 

 its own weight, the hinge-rods turn- 

 ing the cocks in their barrels, and 

 closing them. 



The tripping gear consists of a 

 scear which engages the end of the upper hinge-rod when the tube is 

 raised, and of a trigger which trips the scear when pushed downward 

 against its spring by the messenger which is sent down along the wire 

 rope. The dog, or ratchet engages the lower hinge-rod when the 

 bottle falls and is closed, to prevent accidental opening. There is a 



Fig. 1. — Stop-cock water bottle. 



