816 



things may be carried to the Færoes, but also from the west coast 

 of Norway. According to Ryder \\e must suppose that there 

 is a large circulation north of the Færoes between Iceland and Nor- 

 way. This circulation is formed by the East Icelandic Polar Current 

 to the wesl and the current along the coast of Norway to the east. 

 Ryder thinks, that the northern part of the circulation is formed 

 by a current which goes from the northern part of Norway at 

 about Lofoten in a north-westerly and westerly direction towards 

 Jan Mayen, and then southward along Ihe east coast of Iceland 

 (the Easl-Icelandic Polar Current), and (inally soulh westwards to 

 the Færoes. From here the current again runs in a norlh-caslerly 

 direction to the west coast of Norway, after having touched the Shet- 

 land Isles. It is also very probable, that the great distance which 

 the algæ have to tloat, if they are carried round the whole circle, can 

 be much shorlened, when the winds are favourable. If we look 

 at Ryder's map of bottles thrown overboard from the »Antarctic«, 

 we find, that a bottle (No. 15) thrown out at about 250 miles N. E. 

 of Langanes is believed by Ryder to have been carried first in a 

 south-westerly, then in a south-easterly direction, in a large curve 

 close past the Færoes, and to have been washed ashore on the north 

 coast of Norway. 



If algæ can now be carried from the west coast of Norway out 

 into the North Sea, some of them may have a chance of being car- 

 ried to the Færoes. Fortunately Prof. H. H. Gran has kindly com- 

 municated to me an observation made by him during his expedi- 

 lion in the North Sea (from May to June 1904). He writes that he 

 found floating seaweed with epiphyles all over the North Sea. He 

 has sent me extracts from his journal regarding some of the piaces 

 between 67" 44'— 62« 57' N. Lat. and 11" 10' W. L.— 6« 22' E. L., 

 that is to say, midway between Iceland and Norway, and on both 

 sides of the route which Ryder supposes the above mentioned bottle 

 to have taken. There can hardly be any doubt, that such algæ 

 floating far out in the North Sea can be carried to the Færoes, 

 if the wind is favourable. 



As to the third possibility for the immigration of algæ, namel}' 

 from Iceland, the currents are even highly favourable. As will 

 be seen on Ryder's map, the current from East Iceland goes straight 

 down to the Færoes, and algæ can thus easily be carried from East 

 Iceland to the Færoes. But as the hydrographic conditions difTer 

 greatly on this part of the coast of Iceland from those at the Fær- 



