100 



ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



Commenting upon this analysis, Mr. Falconer King says in 

 a letter addressed to Mr. Harvie-Brown, and dated 23d June 

 1891 — 



" I am perhaps not very competent to speak of the effect of 

 lead on fish, but I am inclined to think that the very small amount 

 in the sample sent to me could have very little influence one way or 

 another. The quantity of impurity present was so little that it is 

 difficult to say whether it existed originally in the water in solution 

 or suspension." 



Even if we supposed that the "trace" of lead in the water of 

 the Gonar Burn were sufficient to affect the fish injuriously, corro- 

 boration would have to be forthcoming before we could accept the 

 theory that it was the cause of this special malformation of the fin- 

 rays. What then of the waters of the two lakes, Loch-na-Maorachan 

 and Loch Enoch, from which the most typical examples of Docked- 

 tailed Trout have been taken ? 



Mr. Harvie-Brown having in 1888 sent a small quantity of 

 water from Loch-na-Maorachan to Mr. Falconer King for analysis, 

 the last mentioned gentleman reported as follows in a letter dated 

 15th November of that year : — 



" I have examined the sample of water you sent me so far as 

 the quantity of material at my disposal would allow. As the result 

 I have to inform you that the water is chiefly remarkable for its 

 purity. I have not been able to detect anything which by its 

 presence would so far as I know affect fish in the way you 

 describe. A possible explanation, however, may be that as the 

 water is so very destitute of mineral matter (lime and other sub- 

 stances) containing only about one part in 60,000 parts of water, 

 the fish are suffering from something akin to rickets." 



A larger quantity of water having been subsequently forwarded 

 to Mr. King, the following is his detailed analysis, the results being 

 expressed in grains per imperial gallon : — 



Now as to Loch Enoch. Mr. Harvie-Brown having procured 

 a sufficient supply of the water of this lake and entrusted it to Mr. 

 Falconer King for analysis, it was found to contain per imperial 

 gallon the following substances expressed in grains : — 



