NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



305 



22. MAINE 

 BY A. O. GROSS AND A. H. NORTON 



I. GENERAL ACCOUNT (A. H. N.) 



1. Introduction 



Maine is the most northeastern state 

 of the Union, situated approximately 

 half way from the equator to the north 

 pole. The mean annual temperature is 

 about 42; the mean winter temperature 

 about 19 and the mean for summer 

 about 62F. The mean annual pre- 

 cipitation is in the vicinity of 42 in. 

 The coast of Maine from Kittery Point 

 on the southwest to West Quoddy Head 

 on the east is about 230 mi. when meas- 

 ured in a straight line, but by reason 

 of the many and deep indentations, 

 and the very numerous islands it has 

 been determined that 1319 mi. of ocean 

 bathe its shores. 



2. The sea 



The tides of the coast have a most 

 important bearing on the life of its 

 shores and the adjacent waters. 



Their range (rise and fall), increases 

 from west to east from mean tide of 

 8.7 ft. and spring tide of 9.9 ft. at Kittery 

 to 18.2 ft. (mean) and 20.7 ft. (spring) 

 at Eastport. 



The tides also have a dominating 

 influence on the coastal currents, which 

 flow according to the general trend of the 

 bays or channel ways landward on the 

 flood, and seaward on the ebb. Beyond 

 the coastal currents, an offshore current 

 from the Bay of Fundy flows to the west- 

 ward certainly as far west as the region 

 off Penobscot Bay. 



The constant circulation of coastal 

 and offshore waters thus maintained is 

 highly favorable to an abundance and 

 great variety of marine and its depend- 

 ent terrestrial life, bringing into the 

 bays hordes of free swimming organisms ; 

 in winter it prevents in a large measure 

 the outer parts at least from becoming 

 icebound. 



With the exception of certain tidal 

 portions of the Kennebec and Penobscot 



Rivers, the muddy shores just below low 

 water mark bear an abundance of eel- 

 grass (Zoster a marina}, which is of 

 great importance as a refuge and a home 

 for many marine animals, and as food 

 for many water birds. The rocky shores 

 from the half tide mark down to mod- 

 erate depths bear an abundance and 

 variety of algae contributing further 

 to the security and sustenance of 

 animals. 



Among those animals which through 

 their edible qualities and plentitude 

 are known to contribute in an important 

 degree to the sustenance of fishes, 

 birds and mammals may be mentioned, 

 several Asteroides (of least importance), 

 Ophiurians of several species, sea 

 urchins, one species, but great in num- 

 bers, and several Holothurians, many 

 species and great numbers of Annulates 

 ("clam worms"), the great class of 

 Crustaceans, ranging from the minute 

 Copepods to the commercially important 

 lobster, a group rich in species and with 

 a surpassing wealth of individuals, 

 ranging the waters from their surface 

 to the bottom in all depths. Mollusks 

 occur in great variety and number. 



Among the marine fishes, which num- 

 ber about a hundred species, several 

 are of great importance through their 

 abundance and excellent qualities; cod, 

 haddock, hake, and pollack are the chief 

 of the larger; mackerel, herring, and 

 menhaden among the smaller sea fishes, 

 with eels, shad, alewives, smelts, and 

 flounders along shore or running into 

 the rivers. Though these are of chief 

 importance directly to man, many other 

 species contribute materially to the 

 needs of the great family of the ocean. 



With this vast variety and inexhaust- 

 ible supply of food, and the comparative 

 freedom from ice, the coast of Maine is a 

 major winter resort for hordes of the 

 hardier species of seafowl, forced south- 

 ward from the icebound regions of the 

 North. 



Murres, razor-bills, dovekies, and kitti- 

 wakes find conditions they desire among 

 the currents and eddies off the coast or 

 about the mouths of the bays. 



