306 General Notes. 
tures, etc., it was discovered that an error exists in our maps and 
charts in placing the warm belt, or Gulf stream, too far from the 
shore by thirty or forty miles. It was also found that the sound- 
ings even on the coast survey charts were inaccurate by hund 
of fathoms in many instances, which are now, however, corrected 
by the coast survey soundings made during the past summer, 
The general accepted theory has been that the 100-fathom line 
marked the line of the Gulf stream, but this was found to be in- 
correct, as the line would be more nearly correct if placed at 65 
or 70 fathoms line. The charts are also incorrect in that they 
make out a difference in the line of the Gulf stream in summet 
and in winter. Professor Verrill held that there was no variation 
in the body of the stream, though there is in the surface water 
an apparent variation, due to the sweeping in of the warm surface 
water in the summer and the diffusion of the cold surface water 
over the stream from the shore during the cold months. th 
proof of his theory is the fact that the sub-tropical life exists im 
the Gulf stream in winter as well as in summer, while the charac- 
ter of the inhabitants of the cold belt remains unchanged the year 
through, and the line of separation between the two kinds of lif 
is well and distinctly marked on the bottom. If there was a và- 
riation in the bottom of the stream there would be death to the 
sub-tropical life of the warm belt. 
n the portion of the warm belt south of the New England 
coast, from 70 to 120 miles from the coast, there was discoveret, 
in 1880, the most valuable ground for the sub-tropical animal 
life, as prolific in invertebrate animals as any in the world 
From this ground the dredges have taken and brought toe 
surface 800 species of animals, over one-third of which were et- 
tirely new and unknown to science, including 17 kinds of f r a i 
270 of mollusks, and go of crustacea. The recent observations% 
the Fish Commission have been made in a warm belt ext H 
about 160 miles from the north-east to the south-west, and aba : 
20 miles in width. Over 130 dredgings were made in this oe 
a depth of 100 fathoms. At about the 100 fathom point the i0 
mation of the sea bottom is peculiar in many respects. 40. 
point there is a gradual descent from the shore. Then there § 
precipitous descent to soundings of 1000 fathoms or mon 
sudden precipitous descent corresponding to about the height 
Mount Washington along the territory that has been exp’ ne 
The warm belt seems to extend down this precipice om) He 
depth of about 125 fathoms, judging from the evidence % | 
brought up in the dredges as well as the thermometrical rec a 
A trawl had brought to the surface in several instances 4 fg 
animal life, which included crabs, shrimps, starfish, and siema 
various kinds, among them shells which had hitherto age 
only on the shores of the West Indies, but which are now ‘the 
to be inhabitants of the warm belt of water running alon © 
