MARINE FLOUA OF SOMERSET. 123 



east, to a little below Porlock on the west. The upper 

 and greater half of the Channel can scarcely be charac- 

 terised otherwise than an asstuary, whose waters contain 

 a great admixture of fi-esh water from numerous rivers, 

 and a quantity of mud and detrital matter, brought 

 into it by the same nieans ; doubtless to the growth of the 

 majority of submerged sea-plants, these conditions are 

 peculiarly inimical, but there are some, as the beautiful 

 Callithamnli, Avhich delight in muddy situations, so also 

 does the Stenogramme, which seems confined to harbours 

 andiBstuaries. Grateloupiafilicma,Enteromorphacompressa, 

 are observed to flourish better in spots where fresh water 

 streams run over the beach, than elsewhere. After Blue 

 Anchor, the water is much clearer, and the algte becorae 

 better colored. Bossington beach affords remarkably fine 

 specimens of these which I have noted in this paper as grow- 

 ing there. Unfortunately the beach below that is of such a 

 nature as to preclude the growth of inter-tidal Vegetation, 

 but probably if it be possible to use the dredge off that 

 part of the coast, it may prove to be the best spot in the 

 district for the growth of deep water algte. 



