WANA 00247 3070 New : 5 8 Clare Island Survey. 15 See =’ MARINE! ALGAE. Pe - By A. D, COTTON. Prates I.-XI. Read June 24 and Novemper 11. Published Novewnen 27, 1912. ¢ Tue natural history Survey of Clare Island and the adjoining mainland provided an opportunity of investigating one of the most interesting 2 algological regions in the British Isles. Since the first decade of the last century, when Miss Hutchins collected in Bantry Bay, and more especially since the days when Harvey published his famous “ Phycologia ’ritannica,” the west of Ireland has always possessed a great attraction for the marine botanist. But although various collections and many gatherings of new and rare species have been dealt with, no systematic investigation of that area has been undertaken, nor has any list or general account of the algal flora been _ published. The selection of Clare Island as a centre fora detailed survey was therefore particularly satisfactory from an algological standpoint. Results for the systematist. and student of plant-distribution were certain, and the —~RLLA, PROC., VOL, XXXI, | A 15 CONTENTS. PAGE PAGE PREFACE, : 1 iii. The Salt-marsh Formation, . 78 INTRODUCTION, ; : 2 iv. The Vegetation of River- 3 Definition of the aan . d 2 mouths, . 83 . Previous work in the Area, 2 v. The Vegetation af Brankish i Field-work and Assistance, t Bays, : : : a 88 ‘ I. Tue ExtTERNAL CONDITIONS OF THE ‘III. Tue Aucat Fiora, . . : «788 AREA, . CT: 1. The Systematic List, i ane 1. Climatic Chidditions, r 6 2. Notes on the List, . : yy LUZ 2. Physical Nature of the Coast, 3. Economic Species, . ; . 11 and Conditions of Exposure, . 9 4, The Flora of The Bills, . . - 155 II. Tue Aucat Veceration,. . ~. 12) [V. Tue Cuaracrer anp Composition 1. Historical Résumé, . 12 oF THE Frona, ks 156 2. Areas and Units of Vegetation, . ni, a4 1. Notes on Novelties and additions; 156 3. The Vegetation, . - 17 | 2. The Character of the Flora, . 160 i. The Rocky-shore Pornintiow 17 | 3. Comparison with other Areas, . 166 “) ae aes > 19 4. Origin of the Flora,. . «. 168 ) Sheite oasts, . 40 ; ; ww ii. ee Sand and ig We aera arnt @ Formation, : 61 PREFACE. 15 2 Proceedings of the Royal Trish Academy. variety of ground in the neighbourhood provided ample scope for the modern study of plant-communities. The position of the island—off the coast of Co. Mayo, and in the Gulf Stream drift—ensured the presence of that southern element which gives the Irish flora its peculiar interest. The following report shows that the hopes raised have been amply fulfilled. ‘The flora proved quite as rich as was expected ; and practically all the species for which the west of Ireland is noted occur within the survey- area. Valuable systematic results have been obtained; and the variety of algal associations present rendered the study of the marine vegetation one of the most comprehensive that has yet been carried out. Important phytogeographic data also, necessitating the modifying of previous views, were secured. INTRODUCTION. 1.—DEFINITION OF THE AREA. Owing to the comprehensive nature of a natural history survey, the limits of the area investigated varied in different cases, since in some it was advisable to include a much larger area than in others. With regard to the marine algae, it was thought best to limit the investigation to Clare Island and the neighbourhood of Clew Bay. By concentrating attention on a small district a more accurate knowledge of the true nature of the vegetation can be obtained, and the variety of ground presented in the area mentioned proved quite as much as was possible to work with a moderate degree of thoroughness. The Survey-area for the algae, therefore, consisted of Clare Island, the shores and waters of Clew Bay, and an extension to the north to include sellacragher Bay and Achill Sound. At the same time it appeared advisable not to overlook the interesting records from Roundstone, a locality only twenty-five miles south of Clew Bay. This district was carefully worked some seventy years ago by W. McCalla, and he collected several species which were not found in the Clare Island district. A brief visit was paid to Roundstone ; and all records from that locality are included in the report. . 2.— PREVIOUS WORK IN THE AREA. According to the scheme of geographical areas devised by Adams (see Adams, ’11,in Bibliography) the province of Connaught is divided into three sub-divisions. Co. Mayo (which includes the survey-area proper) forms sub- division C 2, and, according to an annotated copy of Adams’ Synopsis (Adams, - Clare Island Survey—Marine Algae. 15 3 '08), kindly sent me by the author, possesses thirty records of algae. Co. Galway, on the other hand, which forms sub-division C1, has a much longer list, owing to the collections made at Roundstone Bay. For the third sub- division, C 3 (i.e., counties Sligo and Leitrim), there are practically no records. With regard to sub-division C 2, Wm. Thompson, the zoologist, collected a few plants in Clew Bay about 1840; and Harvey quotes one record— Asperococcus bullosus—in “ Phycologia Britannica.” In a report of a natural history excursion to Achill at Easter, 1898, H. Hanna deals with the marine algae (Hanna, ’98). He records twenty species; and this constitutes the only account of the sea-weeds of the area. Adams, in his list, adds nine names to the flora of the sub-division, culled from various sources.