Abstract
Subcritically stable motion of long gravity waves of finite amplitude in a liquid layer flowing down an inclined plane is shown to be impossible. However, super-critically stable wave régimes for such flows are found and curves of constant wave amplitude in such régimes are obtained. The mechanism of non-linear stability is investigated by considering the energy transfer between the mean flow and the disturbances. The results obtained show that the mechanism of stability in a parallel flow with a free surface is quite different from that in a parallel flow without a free surface.