NOTES ON THE INTERTIDAL FAUNA OF THE WEST MEAD. 

 NORTH TASMANIA 



By Uox c. Kkksimw 



Ak West Head a fauna typical of 'be North Coa&t is dewJoucd. It is t!ve 

 faun* of all cNl>o(iod roa\t, fcut it lark* many feature:; of lhat of the exposed 

 organic coast. The gastropod Mcfitttrnttt mrlawotrpyns occuis m large ?>?jjt- 

 bers here, in contract to the poor development of this species on the I'.a^i 

 Coast. Tn<ft alga. Hvrmosirti liprthiti, J& also a nolircahlp feature of this shore ; 

 though not forming an linrmosirerum. it nevertheless provides shelter for 

 miHK-rous tiuUvitljals 



The EnvH'ukvknv 



\\V*t Head is the westerly of the two rocky headlands at the mouth oi the 

 Tamar Kirer North Tasmania, Further to the west, Badger Head « another 

 prominent headland A map and a view of West Head from Badger Head Bay 

 are Riven by Edwards (1941), who described the coast irom the Tanvr lo 

 Marawab in the far north west of 'lasmania. 



The ftftorfc fUW al West Head, proceeding from the eastern or (ireen's Beach 

 end, is corky and littered with llTjfC boulders. The. rock is dolertte, an ui- 

 trim'vT? lava abunda.n1 in Tasmania. Ill this instance it forms a headland 

 which rises- into several Ijdls ot three 10 four hundred feet high, Ine back 

 share rises steep I) and is clothed »o* the most part with dense tea-tree scrub, 

 Foi sottte distance the rocky shore faces cast, then ir turns to fare the north 

 where there fo a levelling out so that one meet:, what appears to be a wave-cut 

 platform. Thia is an unusual feature in tile dulerive, tot this tuck is highly 

 resjitiirt and has not commonly funned e.Ntetsne phufoims on the rather 

 yonthlul Tasmanian coast 



There art- two indentations, one of which has a "'locket' 1 beach. Finally the 

 thrnehi'n: lace* to th<: west and ft backed by vertical cliffs., some a hundred 

 teet in height. 



The tidal range al the Tamar is approximately seven feet six inches with a 

 maximum of ten feet at sprint* tides.* Little other tidal data is available; 

 however, a tide $$ii$e has recently been installed at Gecrtfe Totvit near the 

 mouth of lh*- River, So far. indications are that the tide does not necessarily 

 rise or ebb uniformly there. Flood waters entering the Tamar coincident rvitli 

 spring tides result in abnormally hiKh tides. However; these factors are not 

 applicable to West Head which is exposed to the waters aud weather oi 

 Bass Strait. 



"Records of the temperature oi the sea at monthly intervals taken rt1 the 

 exposed northern aspect of the headland, have been kept by the writer from 

 February 27, [9bS, to January 29, 195ft The average temperature for the 

 twelve tnonthr- was 14-25 degrees Centigrade, i Tabic- l.'l Climatic conditions 

 durnlg the twelve months were rather mild, and it may be that the averasre 

 obtained here Is a Utile higher than normal in consequence. The leuioeicauie 

 was taken inshore, b*H where ito^Mble, at low tide. 



The area is one of winter rainfall with maximum winter condition.? in July 

 and August, while maximum heat is generally expected in January and 

 February of any year, the range of temperature is a reflection of the mutual 

 cycle to be expected. Unfortunately a rigorous time-table could not be adhered 

 to and hence the results have considerable shortconmtgs; however they may 

 be taken as a general guide. It was loimd necessary to abandon a continuance 

 of the programme for |hc time bong. 



The shore may lie clashed aj an exposed Wcky Coast experiencing con- 

 siderable wave action, but it tb not oceanic, being centrally situated \i\ relation 



* liitunnatiOn by cuurtesy of the farmer rarb.it: Msster, Cajtl. M. J. MacKensie, 



