685 



the Scandinavian coasts, but it is only in different works by Kjell- 

 man, especially in his fundamental work: »UeberAlgen region en 

 und Algenformationen im 6 st lichen Skager Rack« (45) that 

 a more precise limitation and terminology of the particular algal 

 regions and communities are first introduced. Several papers on the 

 algse-vegetation have been published later; amongst the more impor- 

 tant of these, which are at the same time interesting as a means 

 of comparison with the Faeroese algae-vegetation, I need only men- 

 tion those dealing with the Norwegian algae by Boye (6), Gran 

 (36, 37) and Hansteen (38), and the detailed description of the 

 Greenland algal vegetation by Rosenvinge (71). 



With regard especially to the Faeroes, Landt (57) is, so far 

 as I know, the first to give some particulars of the occurrence and 

 growth of some few algae, in his list of Faeroese algae. Some short 

 notes are also given by P. A. Holm (40, p. 203, 204). Rostrup, 

 wlio states (72, p. 16 — 17) that many algae are so abundant as to 

 form regular forests of seaweeds, gives some information as to the 

 habits of the algae; thus he states, that Porphyra laciniata occurs 

 abundantly on rocks washed at high tide. The paper by Sim- 

 mons: Zur Kenntniss der Meeresalgen-Flora der Faer- 

 6er«, published in 1897, is the first important contribution to our 

 knowledge of the Faeroese algae-vegetation. 



In accordance with Kj ell man, Simmons makes a division be- 

 tween the littoral, the sublittoral and the elittoral regions, and gives 

 a description of ditTerent formations belonging to these regions. 

 Moreover he tries to compare the algal vegetation of the Faeroes 

 with that of the coasts of the adjacent countries, and his main re- 

 sults are briefly as follows: the Faeroese algal vegetation is cha- 

 racterized by its strong concentration in the littoral and sublittoral 

 regions and by its disappearance at no very great depth; secondly, 

 an algal vegetation closely connected with that of the Faeroese 

 seems to occur in Nordland on the western coast of Norway, which 

 lies far more towards the north than the Faeroes. As to the first 

 statement, however, I do not consider it quite correct; as a vigorous 

 growth of Laminaria hyperborea is found even at a depth of about 

 15 fathoms (as to this I shall give further information later), and 

 on the whole the algal vegetation is found down to a depth of 

 25 fathoms, wherever circumstances are favourable to its occurrence. 

 This agrees with the observations made in adjacent countries. 



Further investigations of the algal vegetation of Nordland 



44* 



