of the Fishery Board, for Scotland, 



415 



Stranraer, Loch Ryan. 



The figures printed in the air column of the tables were obtained from a 

 thermometer hanging inside the watch-room, and therefore are indicative 

 merely of seasonal changes. The temperatures of the bottom water are taken 

 at depths varying from 8 J to 19 feet, depending on the state of the tide. 



The observations are very regularly made, but are taken only at nine 

 o'clock in the morning. 



As at other stations, the mean temperature of the water for 1892 is 

 lower than in 1891, and by about a degree at Stranraer. The mean 

 surface temperature was 8° -4, and that of the bottom 8°*6. 



The monthly means are compared in the following table : — 



Mean Monthly Temperature, Stranraer, Maximum and Minimum. 



Monthly Means. 



1892. 



1891. 



Surface. 



Bottom. 



Surface. 



Bottom. 



Maximum . . 



14-8 (Aug.) 



15-1 (Aug.) 



15-6 (July) 



15°5 (July) 



Minimum . 



2-6 (Jan.) 



27 (Jan.) 



4-0 (Jan.) 



4'1 (Jan.) 



Range . . . 



12-2 



12-4 



11-6 



11-4 



Similarly the extremes may be compared : — 

 Actual Temperature Readings, Stranraer, Maximum and Minimum. 



Daily Readings. 



1892. 



1891. 



Surface. 



Bottom. 



Surface. 



Bottom. 



Maximum . 

 Minimum . . 

 Range . . . 



16°-1 (July 31) 

 0-6 (Jan. 16) 

 15-5 



16°-3 (July 31) 

 0-6 (Jan. 16) 

 157 



17°0 (June 25) 

 1-6 (Mar. 11) 

 15-4 



17°0 (June 25) 

 1-8 (Mar. 11) 

 15-2 



From these figures it appears that the water was never so warm during 

 1892 as in 1891, but yet the range both of monthly means and of daily 

 temperatures was greater in 1892 than in 1891. This is due to the much 

 colder winter temperatures of the water last year. These variations of the 

 temperature of the water, which were somewhat greater in 1892 than in 

 1891, while the water on the whole was colder, should be compared with 

 the history of the oyster-beds during 1891-92. 



During the whole of 1892 the bottom temperature was one or two tenths 

 of a degree higher than that of the surface water, whereas in 1891 the 

 two were practically coincident. The temperature curve for 1892 begins 

 by rising from a minimum, which happened at the end of 1891, and turns 

 down again at the end of January to a second minimum, reached in the 

 middle of February. Thereafter the rise is very steady, with two breaks 

 2 D 



