Dakin and Latarche — The Plankton of Lough Neac/h. 27 



the water was a bright green, with an alga (Gomphosphaeria), and the very 

 slight breeze blowing was drifting this in long streaks towards the banks 

 near Antrim. At the shore of the lake the water seemed to have been 

 covered with a layer of green paint, so thick and so intense was the 

 heaped-up" water-bloom." (See Microphoto.) This phenomenon, known as 

 the "breaking of the meres" in England, is often seen in small and 

 shallow lakes. 



Features of Lough Neagh common to the Danish lakes are, then, the 

 shallowness, the gently sloping shores, rectangular outline, high temperature 

 of water in summer, small transparency, and yellow-green colour of the 

 water, due to the plankton. On the other hand. Lough Neagh is much larger 

 in area, and probably the chemical constitution of the water is different. The 

 Scottish lakes, of great depth, and long, narrow shape, with steep shores and 

 clear water, form a well-marked contrast. 



The photographs (Plates IV and V) give some idea of the characteristic 

 scenery of Lough Neagh, and they are especially intended as illustrations of 

 the type of bank. 



Photographs 1 and 3 are views taken looking over the lake from Toome. 

 They show rather well the low-lying distant banks, and the large expanse of 

 water, which seems to extend right on to the horizon. It is only on a very 

 few days that, looking out from Antrim, one can see the opposite banks as a 

 dim line in the distance. 



Shane's Castle (Plate IV, fig. 2), as will be seen by reference to the map 

 is situated to the north of Antrim. It was always passed on our way out 

 to the plankton station. A flat sandy beach, with ripple-marks, extends here 

 for some distance on certain occasions after the limit of vegetation is passed. 

 It looks very like a sea-shore, in fact. This flat expanse is part of the shallow 

 submerged bank. It is possible to wade out from the banks at Antrim 

 for some distance, and a depth of 6 or 7 feet is common quite a little way 

 out from the shore. 



This beach at Shane's Castle is covered or free according to the direction 

 of the wind and the amount of water in the lake. 



Figs. 4 and 7 are pictures of the pollen-nets drying and of the hauling 

 in of a net. 



In this latter the pollen-nets are being used close inshore, in water only 

 8-10 feet deep, and the net has been set out in a circle just as a seine-net is 

 used. The boat is the one used for our plankton observations. The Lough 

 Neagh fishing- boats are characteristic craft, built on the lake, and capable of 

 withstanding the terrific pounding caused by the short waves. 



Fig. 5 is a photograph of the entrance of the Six-mile Water at Antrim. 



R.I. A. PROC, VOL. XXX., SECT. B. [£] 



