of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



349 



Denmark, on the 7th November, after immersion for ninety-eight days ; 

 and five of those set adrift still further to the north, four miles south- 

 east of Buchan Ness, were subsequently recovered. Two of them were 

 picked up at sea by fishing-boats 24 and 26 miles to the southward, 

 seven and nine days after they had been put into the water ; and 

 other three were found in the early part of September on the coast of 

 Northumberland, from forty-eight to fifty-six days after immersion, and at 

 distances ranging from 134 to 142 miles. There can be no doubt that the 

 one found in Denmark, although the only one of that particular group 

 recovered, first passed down off the east coast of Scotland, and probably 

 the north-east coast of England. Reference has already been made to the 

 wooden drifter put away on the same day within the Moray Firth, about 

 80 miles further to the north and west, which was found on the 3rd 

 December (134 days afterwards), at the Dogger Bank, about 60 miles 

 off Flamborough Head. 



On the 22nd April 1896, four bottles were set adrift 26 miles east 

 of Lerwick, Shetland; on the 23rd August, 123 days later, one was 

 found at Klitmoeller, three miles south of Hanstholm, Denmark ; and 

 thirty-seven days after that, on the 29th September, another was picked 

 out of the water in the Christiania Fjord, near Bolaeren Island, about 

 12 miles within Fserder Lighthouse. These drifters must also have 

 come south. 



It is evident from what has been said that the general movement of the 

 water in the western part of the North Sea is southward along the east 

 coast of Scotland and the northern part of the east coast of England, and 

 that it then passes to the Continent. Before discussing the relations of 

 this movement to the seasons, and the speed of the current, it will be well 

 to consider the course of the drifters put away in other parts of the North 

 Sea. While the results on the western side showed the movement 

 referred to, I was desirious of ascertaining, as far as possible, the area of 

 demarcation where this southward movement gave place to the northward 

 movement on the eastern side, as well as some other points. Drifters 

 were, therefore, dropped into the sea at intervals along lines stretching 

 from the Firth of Forth to the Naze of Norway on the one hand, and to 

 Hamburg on the other ; and also along a line passing from off Flam- 

 borough Head to the Hook of Holland. The lines along which the floats 

 were set adrift are represented on Plate X. 



Between the Isle of May and, the Naze of Norway. 



The drifters put away between the Firth of Forth and the Naze of 

 Norway were as follows : — 



Date. 



Distance in Nautical Miles E. £ S. of May Isle. 







































10 



15 



20 



25 



30 



35 



50 



70 



75 



80 



100 



130 



150 



180 



200 



250 



300 



24th Feb. 1895, 





10 





10 





10 



10 











10 





10 









16th Mar. 1895, 





10 





10 





10 









10 





10 





10 









* 21st Aug. 1896, 



30 





25 





20 





20 



10 







10 



10 



20 





10 



20 





* 23rd Oct. 1896, 















50 





20 





35 



15 













* 6th Nov. 1896, 



30 























15 



20 





15 



20 



15 



25th and 26th Dec. 

 1896, . 



!■ 









20 













20 





20 





20 



20 



20 



* Most of these were wooden drifters. 



