Note on the freezing of the sea ice - Over and over again I observe that the surface water to a depth of two or three inches froze in plates or blades forming a velvety net- work of ice with water between the blades or plates. The light reflected from these gave a beautiful sheen to the surface. As we lay at anchor being frozen in, I noticed that the sea ice when two or three inches thick was still mushy and flexible and not strong enough to walk or stand upon, very differ- ent from fresh water pond or lake ice after it was even six inches thick, the upper surface was wet and unfrozen on account of the salt mixed with it. The surface became dry and frozen when the temper- ateure of the air remained at & 15 about -15° 7. or lower. The freezing of the sea water forces much of the contained salts to the surface which accounts for this mushi ness at temperatures much below the freezing point of ordinary sea water.