204 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



A comparison of the foregoing table with the 

 corresponding ones given in the two previous reports will 

 at once show that the hydrographic conditions prevailing 

 in this area during 1909 were very different from those 

 existing in 1907 and 1908, and, so far as one can tell from 

 the incomplete data, in 1906 also. 



It is more especially stations Y, YI and VII which 

 we have to consider. These are the three stations which 

 are affected by the Gulf Stream Drift, and where, in 

 consequence, the maximum salinity usually occurs about 

 February. This year, however, it will be seen that the 

 maximum occurs much later than this, namely, in May 

 and June, which we must regard as quite abnormal. And 

 moreover, not only is the maximum much later, but it is 

 also less well denned, and the salinity is somewhat lower 

 than in previous years (34 "2 °/ QO instead of 34 '4 °/ 00 ). The 

 salinity variations at the remaining 12 stations, where the 

 variations are chiefly due to varying amounts of fresh 

 water flowing in from the neighbouring coasts, are more 

 irregular, but on the whole the maximum salinities tend 

 to occur during the autumn. The figures for stations IY, 

 XI and XII suggest, however, that at these stations the 

 tendency of the Gulf Stream Drift to cause a Spring 

 maximum of the salinities is barely counterbalanced by 

 the effect of the fresh coastal water. 



The temperatures at nearly all the 15 stations are 

 considerably different from those found during the period 

 1900-1908, so far as the various stations which — with the 

 exception of Nos. Y, YI and YII — have not always been 

 quite the same, are comparable. During the first half of 

 1909 the temperatures were considerably higher than in 

 previous years, while during the latter half of the year 

 they were a good deal lower than usual. 



The natural conclusion to draw from these results is 



