COASTAL WINDS AND THEIR INFLUENCE UPON FISH. 39 



the two being as stated through the medium of the coastal 

 currents. It was intended to single out such periods as 

 would reasonably cover certain important spawning seasons, 

 and the months involved were traced back through the 

 twenty-four years under review. This comparison led to 

 very interesting data meteorologically, and might with 

 advantage be followed up by those concerned, but it would 

 occasionally happen that within the same year one species of 

 fish had a beneficial season while others met with reverses, 

 and I found it desirable for the present to take all the 

 seasons, i.e., the year as a whole, and compare it with the 

 total catch of mixed fish. From the monthly wind-mileage 

 from the different compass points I have determined the 

 atmospheric drift — the resultants — for each year since 

 1884, and find them to differ considerably from one another 

 as regards direction and force. These yearly resultants 

 have been set out in Diagram E, (Plate IV), and form an 

 interesting study. In comparison with their average — the 

 yearly normal — they show individually considerable differ- 

 ences, yet with one or two exceptions they all point north 

 with an easterly or westerly tendency as the case may be. 



It is well known that persistent winds have an all im- 

 portant influence upon the surface currents of the ocean; 

 they become deviated from the normal flow, pushed aside 

 one way or the other, accelerated in speed if the extra blow 

 is with the currents, or temporarily brought to a standstill 

 under certain other conditions. It is necessary therefore, 

 when tracing the influence of the dominating or concen- 

 trated wind actions on the waters, to give regard to its 

 two primary factors, i.e., deviation from the normal and 

 force or mileage. 



A combination of these factors has been attained by 

 disregarding them both individually and taking as their 

 measure the nearest distance from the points of the arrows 



