Sea-iveeds from the West Coast of Ireland. -5 



that now we know of some six hundred species. This addition 

 is mainly due to the researches of K. M. Holmes and K. A. I^. 

 Batters, who have published a very useful Revised List of the 

 British Marine Algce in the Annals of Botany (vol. v., 1890). A 

 year ago a strong committee was formed for the investigation 

 of the marine flora of the coast of Scotland. This committee 

 is at present confining its operations to the Clyde basin. It is 

 very much to be desired that an investigation on similar lines 

 should be carried out for Ireland ; the south and west coasts, 

 more especialh^, would amply repay investigation in the light 

 of the recent discoveries of British and Continental algologists. 

 I was so fortunate as to accompany for a time the s.s. 

 '* Harlequin," under the Rev. W. S. Green, in its fishery 

 survey. I spent a fortnight on board in April, 1891, and went 

 from Galway to Sligo. In addition to the acquirement of a 

 large and valuable quantity of sea-weeds from different 

 localities (which pressure of other duties has so far prevented 

 me from working out fulhO, I got a good knowledge of the 

 coast, which I could not have obtained in au}^ other way, and 

 which will prove of great service to me (and to others) in 

 future algological work. This is not the place to enter into 

 details. One of the most interesting observations was the 

 discovery that a small green floating ball, the size of a pin- 

 head, constantly present in the tow-net c^tQhQS,\\?iS Halosphaera 

 viridis, Schmitz. This minute alga had not been previously- 

 found on the coast of Ireland. It was first noticed in the Gulf 

 of Naples, and was known there for some 3^ears before it was 

 examined by Schmitz, who gave the results of his investigations 

 in the Mitt. Zool. Stat. Neapcl, vol. i. Later it was noticed inde- 

 pendently in Phmiouth Sound, by Mr. J. D. Cunningham, 

 from whom I first heard of it. Its life-history is incompletely 

 known, and no doubt could be fully investigated in Irish waters ; 

 it was found round the whole coast by Mr. Holt. I was 

 particularly interested in succeeding in finding it in a tow-net 

 catch well out in the Atlantic, twent3--seven miles west of Achill 

 Island. Its importance as a food-supply for the smaller 

 marine organisms must be ver}- great. So far as one can say 

 at present, its season is from March to the end of June ; what 

 happens to it in the interval is -not known. Two French 

 algologists, the distinguished Dr. Bornet and M. Gomont, have 

 recently discovered in the group Cyanophycece several genera 

 which possess the power of boring into, and more or less 

 completely destro3'ing the calcareous shells of various molluscs. 

 Happening to catch the low tide at Galway on joining the 

 fisher>^ boat, I found such " bored " shells there, as well as at 

 other points on the coast. In September last I spent a 

 fortnight in sea-weed work on the coast of Clare, chiefl}^ at 

 Kilkee and Miltown Malbay, both well-known as algal 

 localities to readers of Harvey's works. Here I found at low 

 tide growing on Alaria escnlenta, and in all stages, d^Litosiphon- 



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