8 THE AGRICULTUKE OF THE 



the parish of Dallas. Loch-iia-bo, in the parish of Urquhart, is 

 one mile long by a quarter of a mile broad, and is celebrated 

 for the beauty of its scenery, and the quality and abundance of 

 its trout, whicli weigh from ^ lb. to 12 lbs. There are a few 

 other small sheets of water in the county. To the north of 

 Elgin is Loch Spynie, tlie property of Captain Dunbar Brander. 

 It is not a large sheet of water, but affords good sport to the 

 angler. The more important rivers which flow through the 

 county rise from 40 to 70 miles south of the city of Elgin, and 

 fall into the Moray Firth. The Lossie, which passes through 

 one of the richest and most picturesque parts of the " Laigh of 

 Moray," has its source in Loch Lossie, and runs a serpentine 

 course of about 25 miles, falling into the sea at the village of 

 Lossiemouth. From its source to its mouth it has a very 

 gradual fall. It is an excellent trout fishing river, and contains 

 a few salmon, sea-trout, yellow trout, and "finnochs." Its chief 

 tributaries are the Lochry and Lenoch burns, which are also 

 famous for good trout fishing. The fishing in the Lossie belongs 

 to the Earl of Moray, but has been let on a lease of 100 years 

 to the Dunbars of Pitgaveny. Captain Dunbar is proprietor of 

 part of the salmon fishings at the mouth of the river. The rod 

 season begins on February 11 and ends in October. 



The river Findhorn rises between Strahdearn and Stratherrick, 

 and runs a very rapid course of from 60 to 70 miles. Its chief 

 tributaries are the Moy, the Bruach, the Pallan-shoch, the Divie, 

 the Dorbach, and the Muckle Burn. These, as well as the 

 Findhorn itself, are excellent trout streams. Salmon angling 

 during the months of March, May, June, and September is 

 excellent ; while in July, August, and September plenty of good 

 trout are got. Skilful anglers can make a good basket of trout 

 during a fine day in the month of July. Without the consent 

 of the proprietors, anglers are strictly prohibited from fishing in 

 any part of the river. Apart from the excellent fishing that is 

 to be had here, the scenery is in itself exceedingly attractive. 

 It has been said, that along the grounds of Darnaway and 

 Altyre, the character of the woodland scenery is the " choicest 

 for the artist's pencil " that could be desired. On the extreme 

 opposite side of the county runs the majestic Spey, which for 

 volume of water and extent of basin drained by it,* is the second 

 river in Scotland. It rises about 6 miles from Loch Laggan, 

 flows through Loch Spey, falls into the sea at Garmouth, and is 

 in all about 100 miles long. It runs for over 30 miles through 

 luverness-shire, and receives on its left bank the Marky and the 

 Calder, and some other smaller streams, and on the right bank 

 the Truim, the Tromie, the Feshie, &c. For a considerable 

 distance, it passes through Moray and Banff shires, while 

 different sections of the river form the line of separation between 



