Clare Island Survey — Marine Algae. 15 155 



added to milk, or used as a substitute for isinglass. Carrageen is still employed 

 in some quarters as an antidote for lung-troubles. 



The following notes, though referring to a county outside our area, are of 

 interest. They were supplied by Mr. Thomas Crehan, of Miltown Malbay, 

 Co. Clare (sometime the home of W. H. Harvey), who, as agent for a firm of 

 English ship-merchants, has dealt for many years in the sale of seaweeds : — 



Crannogh. — Collected at Miltown Malbay all the year round, and sold to 



Blackburn at Is. per stone. 

 Carrageen. — Sold to London, Scotland, Germany, Eussia, and America, 



fetching £8 10s. a ton, or 1$ a lb. in America. The narrow form is 



used for edible purposes, and the wide form chiefly for dressing 



linen, manilla ropes, and other articles. 

 Sloukaen. — Sold to England for making " laver bread " at 2s. a stone. 



4. The Floka of The Bills. 



Though not so interesting as the terrestrial flora, the marine vegetation of 

 these rocky islets is worthy of a special note. Nine miles from the main- 

 land, and surrounded on all sides by deep water, they are subjected to the 

 severest exposure. 



Two algal communities were conspicuous : — the Prasiola association, 

 covering the bird-cliffs and ascending on the shady side to 50 feet or more 

 above sea-level, and the Laminaria band, which encircles the islets at low- 

 water mark. The littoral region is for the most part compressed into its 

 minimum horizontal range, being in many places nearly vertical. Several 

 of the more accessible spots were examined. Alaria is more abundant than 

 L. digitata; and Gigartina forms on almost vertical surfaces a band above. 

 On the eastern side patches of the Porphyra and of the Callitlwmnion 

 arbuscula communities were noted on the less precipitous rocks ; but except 

 for these, other associations appeared to be absent. The full list of species 

 noted is appended : — 



Plectonema tenebrans (in Balanus). Alaria esculenta. 



Prasiola stipitata. Laminaria digitata. 



P. crispa var. marina. Porphyra umbilicalis. 



Enteromorpha compressa. Gigartina mamillosa. 



E. micrococca. Chylocladia clavellosa. 



Chaetomorpha aerea. Polysiphonia macrocarpa. 



Ehizoclonium riparium. Callithamnion arbuscula. 



Cladophora prolifera. Ceramium acanthonotum. 



C. rupestris. C. atlanticum. 



Scytosiphon lomentarius. Lithophyllum incrustans. 



U2 



