45 



Akne Bay. — Here the grass is fairly heavily distributed. The 

 mud between Grip Heath and Wych Creek is meadowing and also 

 between Middlebere Lake and the upper part of Wych Lake. This 

 triangle of mud is richly meadowed. 



Eastward are Round and Long Islands, between which the 

 grass has meadowed. i he fhort distance between the south of 

 Round Island and Fitzworth Point is considerably covered on both 

 shores. Eastward of these islands and between the tributaries of 

 the South Deep heavy bands of grass are year by year increasing. 

 Now, what is the problem of the future, supposing the grass 

 increases to the same extent as it has between the last named 

 islands ? The South Deep will then have only one source of supply 

 by channel to the eastwar , namely, the channel called Ramshorn 

 Lake. This district affords the most interesting study of the grass 

 in the harbour. 



Middlebere and Arne. — The grass has now reached the head 

 of the first named creek and there are a fair number of patches 

 from the saltings to Middlebere Quay. Onward along Grip Heath 

 shore a considerable band of grass extends right up to Shipstal 

 Point; opposite to this is Patchin's Point and between these lies 

 Arne Bay, which is thickly covered, making an extensive meadow 

 of grass. From Patchin's Point a heavy band runs southward to 

 the edge of Wych Creek. The vast triangle of grass between 

 Middlebere Creek and the Corfe River is well seen from this side 

 as well as the gradually silting up channel between Long and 

 Round Islands, and, in a less degree, the change at Fitzworth 

 Shore. 



North Shore and Wareham Inlet. — Looking across from 

 Keysworth Point to Rock Lea Railway Bridge (under which runs 

 the Rock Lea River, joining the Wareham Channel off the Lake 

 Clay Works) are to be seen three draining channels. Furthest 

 east is W T ood Bar Looe, nearer is Shag Looe, while the nearest 

 and westernmost is North Channel, all draining from Horton 

 Lake. Off this last channel is a considerable band of grass spread- 

 ing from the North Shore to nearly off Keysworth Point and 

 terminating in five insujar clumps. A little to the west are the 

 last clumps I have met with, forming the western limit of the grass 

 in the harbour. Eastward towards Rock Lea Bridge are two large 

 insular patches, much increased in extent, beyond the Rock Lea 

 band, where this year the grass has so developed that the effect of 

 the growth in this part is shown by the raising of the level of the 

 mud sufficiently to allow cattle to cross to it for grazing on the 

 grass, as was seen by members of the Botanical Section on their 

 summer visit. Here was well shown the golden brown sheen of 

 the ripe Spartina in the sunsets and a similar pleasant 1 brightness is 

 said to be visible in the early morning. Apparently the higher 

 waters of Wareham Channel are now the only place in the harbour 

 not invaded by Spartina Tozvnsendii, so that in about sixteen 

 years the grass has dominated the harbour, causing a general rise 



