1896-97-] The Upper Elf Loch, Braids. 277 



besides an intimate acquaintance with them, the help of speci- 

 alists was sought, as will afterwards be more particularly stated. 

 To the second member has also fallen the task of gathering- 

 together the varied information thus acquired, and presenting 

 it in the form of a report. Our aim has been more especially 

 to endeavour to discover the minuter forms of life present in 

 this loch, for the benefit of workers with the microscope ; but 

 other representatives of its flora and fauna have also been 

 observed and noted. This paper is meant to be somewhat 

 of a preliminary one, as it has been determined to carry on 

 these investigations for another year, seeing the results already 

 attained have been both satisfactory and encouraging. 



The sheet of water now under consideration is situated, 

 as already said, at the southern extremity of the Braid Hills, 

 nearly 700 feet above sea-level. It seems to depend for its 

 water-supply solely on rains and surface-drainage, and under 

 these comparatively stagnant conditions some forms of life are 

 abundant, while others are rare or entirely absent. Its 

 eastern end is on the estate of Mortonhall, and consequently 

 private — a wall on each side, with a connecting barbed-wire 

 fence between, separating that portion from the larger and 

 public part. On applying to D. F. Mackenzie, Esq., the 

 factor for the Mortonhall Estate, that gentleman very kindly 

 granted us permission to carry on our investigations at this 

 private part also, as well as at another loch adjoining, on the 

 same estate. The present paper, however, refers wholly to the 

 first-mentioned loch, partly public and partly private, as just 

 stated. It was believed by us at first, from an examination of 

 the Ordnance Survey map, that the name of this sheet of water 

 was the Elf Loch. But on Mr William Evans learning that 

 these investigations were being carried on by us, he wrote to 

 say that he knew the ground well, having lived when a boy 

 at the adjoining farm of Buckstane, and that he had always 

 understood the Elf Loch to be the second sheet of water 

 already mentioned, situated at a much lower level, and near 

 the Mortonhall avenue. Mr Mackenzie, on being appealed to, 

 very obligingly consulted some old plans of the estate, and 

 wrote to say that Mr Evans was correct in his belief that the 

 sheet of water within the Mortonhall grounds was the true 

 Elf Loch, and that the pond we were working at, though 



