of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



363 



in 24 miles from the Hook of Holland on 3rd January, travelled rapidly 

 westwards, and were found on the Norfolk coast twenty-one days later. 



For example of a lot set adrift in the Moray Firth on 22nd July 1896, 

 three were recovered within a few days, on the Banffshire coast, to the 

 south, and one was picked up on 7th December in Shetland. At the 

 time they were put away we have already seen that the current was, as 

 usual, running to the south (p. 343 and table p. 387). The one picked up in 

 Shetland had probably passed round Rattray Head, and was well on its 

 way southward when it was carried by the reversed movement northward 

 as far as Shetland. Others, put away in August and October east of the 

 Isle of May, were found in January, about the same date, on the coast 

 fo Northumberland and Durham (pp. 390, 391). Three set adrift at 

 Orkney on 3rd November were found at Shetland on the 14th and 22nd 

 December. The " Garland," coming down the coast on December 28th 

 and 29th, set adrift a number of bottles at various places, and all those 

 recovered were found to the north, as far north as Orkney. One, for 

 instance, put away on 28th December, off Bervie, Kincardineshire, was 

 found in Orkney, 135 miles to the north, sixteen days later. From off 

 Buchan Ness one was also found in Orkney ; from the Bell Rock and the 

 Isle of May they were found in Aberdeenshire, travelling about 65 

 miles in ten days. Further down the coast some were stranded on the 

 coast of Durham and Northumberland, which ought, in the usual course, 

 to have been far away to the south and east. Others put away off the 

 coast of Lincoln on 3rd January 1897 were found on the Yorkshire coast, 

 over sixty miles to the north-west within twelve days ; those put away 

 north-east and east of Norfolk at the same time, were found on the 

 coast of Norfolk, and it is noteworthy they travelled much slower at this 

 part of the North Sea than those further north. Finally, the drifters put 

 away near the Hook of Holland moved westwards to Norfolk. There is 

 therefore no question that at this time the movement of the water was 

 reversed. 



Now, it will be seen from the table (p. 358) and the chart (PI. XI.) 

 that the winds during December and January were blowing from the 

 south and east, as follows : — 





N. Unst. 



Buchan Ness. 



Bell Rock. 



Shields. 



Yarmouth. 



Helder. 



Scaw. 



Dec. 189(i, 

 Jan. 1897, 



S. f E. 36 

 S.E. \ E. 12 



S.E. by S. 



1 E. 29 

 E.N.E. 19-7 



S. by W.8-3 

 E. 135 



S.E. by E. 



i S. 9-3 

 N.E. by N. 



i E. 22 



S.E. £ E. 19-5 

 E.N.E. 10-o 



w.s.w. \ 



W. 4 



E. by S. 

 § E. 20-75 



S. 2 



N.N.E. | E. 

 9-75 



An examination of the daily records shows that strong winds and 

 gales from S., S.E., E.S.E., and S.S.E. prevailed on the east coast of 

 Scotland during the first ten days of December, and on the east coast 

 of England, but less strong during the first six days. On the 14th 

 it blew strongly from the east, rising in some places to a gale ; from 

 the 17th to the 21st it blew on the east coast of Scotland fresh or 

 strong from N.E., E., N.N.E., or N. The strong winds and gales from the 

 southward and south-east at the beginning of the month would tend 

 to drive the water northwards along the coast, and this appears to 

 account for the northward movement of the drifters picked up in 

 Shetland in December. From the 24th to the 31st December the 

 prevailing winds were from the S.W. and towards west, rising at some 

 places to a gale on the 26th and 27th. From the 2nd to the 4th 

 January the winds blew strong from the south and S.S. W. ; and from 

 the 6th to the 9th there were strong winds and gales from E., S.E., 



