The Littoral Diatoms of the Liverpool and Port Erin Shores

Certain diatoms seem to live predominantly on the foreshore. While the pelagic diatoms have received very much study, relatively little attention has been given to the shore forms. There is no satisfactory account of these organisms as they occur on the coasts of Lancashire and Isle of Man, and one may expect that they have much importance as the food of many animals. In a further paper I will deal with this question. For this reason I deal here only with those littoral diatoms found along the Mersey Beach, in the vicinity of Liverpool, and with those collected from the sandy and rocky shore of Port Erin (Isle of Man). Masses of these organisms can easily be recognised with the naked eye, discolouration of the sand and mud being due mainly to them, together with some species of desmids and dinoflagellates.