XVII.-LIST OF THE SEA-WEEDS OR MARINE ALG.^ OF THE 

 SOUTH COAST OF NEW ENGLAND. 



BY W. G. I'ARI-OW, M. D. 



The following list of algte has been arranged from collections made in 

 the summer of 1870 and spring of 1871, at Greeuport and Orient, Long 

 Island, but more especially at Wood's Hole and vicinity in the summer 

 of 1871. I am indebted to Professor S. F. Baird for opportunities for 

 collecting at the last-named station such as no American algologist has 

 ever before enjoyed. Mr. S. T. Olney, of Providence, Ehode Island, has 

 been so kind as to place at my disposal his extensive collections of 

 Ehode Island algte, made during the years 181G-'47-'48. The collections 

 of 1846 and 1847, examined and named by Harvey, contained the types 

 of Polysiphonki Olneyi and other species. The collection of 1848 con- 

 tained some novelties, which are mentioned in the following list. Since 

 my own list was prepared, Mr. Olney has published a complete list of 

 Ehode Island algre, entitled Algm Bhodiacece. For specimens from New 

 Haven and Watch Hill I am indebted to Professor D. C. Eaton, of Yale 

 College ; and the albums of Miss Fisher and Miss Pease, of Edgartown, 

 have furnished choice specimens from that region. 



As long ago as 1852, when the first volume of the Nereis Boreali- 

 Americana appeared, it was understood, in a general way, that Cape 

 Cod was the dividing line between the northern and the southern marine 

 ora. The question has since beeu raised whether Cape Cod is as 

 strictly the dividing line as Harvey had supposed ; whether northern 

 species do not occur at exposed southern points, as Gay Head and Mon 

 oeuk, and southern species wander northward to Cape Ann. Most de- 

 cidedl}', I think, such is not the case. In the first place, none of the 

 characteristic algtp, of the north, with a solitary exception, are found 

 south of Cape Cod. The characteristic algte of our northern coast are 

 Alaria esculenta, Grev. ; Laminaria longicruris, De la Pyl. ; Agarum 

 Turneri, P. & E. ; Halosaccion ramentacevm, J. Ag. ; Eiithora cristata 

 J. Ag. ; P tiloia seri'ata, Kutz. ; Delesseria alata, Lam., and 1). sinuosa 

 Lam. These are all common as far south as Nahant, except Halosaccion 

 which is common on the coast of Maine, but does not occur south of 

 Eye Beach, New Hampshire. From Boston Harbor to Cape Cod is a 

 desert, as far as marine vegetation is concerned, except for a short in- 

 terval at Hingham, where rocks afford a foot-hold for fucoids and chou- 

 drus, which are there gathered for the market iu large quantities. Not one 

 of the algai above mentioned, except Delesseria sinuosa, is found south of 



