733 



sun«^. But on the coasts of the Færoes, Gigartina ahvays keeps 

 its dark reddish-brown colour. 



Simmons does not set apart any special G/^'ar/z/ja-association. 

 In reference to Boye's G/g-ar/ma-formation, he writes (p. 260): »Die 

 letztere konnte wohl auch auf den Fåroern unterschieden werden, 

 ich bin aber geneigt, sie nur als eine lokale und zufållige Ausbil- 

 dung der Corallinaformation zu belrachten, wo Gigartina iiberwie- 

 gend ist.« Opinions may of course dilTer on this matter, but as 

 Gigartina can be found as an unmixed growth and often of consider- 

 able extent, I agree with Boye in maintaining a special Gigartina- 

 association. 



I have found the G/(7ar///7a- association beautifuUy developed 

 on the northern side of the entrance of Trangisvaagfjord, where 

 Gigartina (see plate XVIII) forms extensive growths on horizon- 

 tal rocks. 



On Sumbo Holm, the GzV/ar///?a-association was found on a very 

 exposed coast, at a height of 2—4 feet, and on Myggenæs Holm I 

 have seen it at a height of at least 10 feet above the lowest water 

 mark. It is, on the whole, one of the commonest associations on 

 the coasts of the Færoes. 



Directly below this association, 



The Himanthalia- Association 



is found. The peculiar and characteristic Himanthalia /orea-associa- 

 tion (see plate XIX) is very common on the exposed coasts of the 

 Færoes. It grows from immediately above the lowest water mark 

 down to the sublittoral A/ar/rt-association. On flat rocks, the Himan- 

 //?a//a-association will stretch very far horizontally, but vertically, only 

 to one foot as a rule. On sloping rocks which are constantly washed 

 over by the sea, it may reach somewhat higher, sometimes even to 

 the Callithamnion-associaiion. For instance, on rocks at Viderejde I 

 have observed well-developed specimens with receptacles (see plate 

 XV), at a height of at least 6—7 feet above low water mark. On the 

 other band, the characteristic buttonlike or often globular, inflated, 

 yellowish-brown, young piants are frequently found rather far above 

 its special level, sometimes even above high water mark. But they 



^ »Den (formationen) er meget ioinefaldende paa lang afstand som et hst 

 gulgrønt belte straks over nederste vandstandsmærke; de enkelte algeindivider er 

 nemlig aldeles afblegede i sollyset. 



47* 



