693 



there are tides and consequently cunenls, there is a large tract of 

 water without either tides or currents, or with at any rate almost 

 imperceptible ones. This is found between Stronio and Ostero, 

 bounded on the south by a line drawn from Hojvig to Næs on Ostero, 

 reaching on the north as far as Kvalvig in Sundelaget, thus including 

 the three large fjords Skaalefjord in Ostero, Kaibak- and Kollefjord 

 in Stromo, besides »the Sounds« between both Islands. This almost 

 stagnant area of water naturally shelters an algal vegetation of a 

 peculiar kind. It is e. g. the true habitat of Laminaria færoensis, 

 and this characteristic alga reaches here its highest development. 



c. Action of the Waves. Exposed Coasts; sheltered Coasts. 



As already mentioned, the surf breaks more or less vigorously 

 on all the coasts of the Færoes during the greater part of the 

 year. The heavy, unbroken waves of the Atlantic roll in on the 

 mostly steep and rocky coasts, and during the storms of winter the 

 waves may be strong enough to move rocks, as was the case at 

 Bosdalafos on the western coast of Vaago, about 80 feet above the 

 level of the sea. It may even happen, that the sea rushes into 

 Sorvaags Lake itself, to which Bosdalafos is the outlet. It is not 

 unusual for the surf to reach 100 feet up the cliffs, and it has even 

 been said to reach several hundred feet up. Even in summer, when 

 the weather is fme, there is almost always some surf produced by 

 the swell, when it meets the land. Still periods may occur, espe- 

 cially in summer, when the weather is so fine and the sea so calm 

 that the surf almost disappears. 



When the algal vegetation of a countrj'^ is investigated, it will 

 soon be observed, that the more or less exposed condition of the 

 localities is of great importance. The open coasts, constantly ex- 

 posed to the surf, are covered by an algal vegetation differing 

 greatly from that on sheltered coasts. The difference is so great, 

 that with some few exceptions the species growhig on exposed 

 coasts are of quite another kind than those growing on sheltered 

 coasts. This is quite easy to explain, as the mechanical influence 

 of the waves is not the only influence affecting the algæ of open 

 coasts in contrast to those on sheltered coasts; it is also probable, 

 that the water is more rich in oxygen, more nutritive and often 

 salter than in sheltered piaces, and further the water coming in con- 

 tact with the algæ is more frequently renewed by the dashing of the 



