134 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. [Sess. 



aquatic flora is of the ordinary type, and not particulai-ly abundant. The 

 chief plants more or less common to these three lochs, so far as I could find, 

 are as follows: — Littorella lacustris, Chara aspera, var. subinermis, C. 

 fragilis, var. delicatula, Potamogeton natans, P. lucens, P. heterophyllus, 

 P. crispus, Sparganium natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Fontinalis anti- 

 pyretica, Scirpus lacustris, Phragmites communis, Equisetum limosum, 

 Heleocharis palustris, Sparganium simplex, Carex rostrata, C. Goodenovii, 

 Phalaris arundinacea, Juncus acutiflorus, Spiraea Ulmaria, Alisma Plantago, 

 A. ranunculoides. Ranunculus Flammula, R. Lenormandi, Myosotis palustris, 

 Mentha sativa, Caltha palustris, Lythrum Salicaria, etc. 



Lochaber Loch is picturesquely situated, 8 miles north-east from 

 Dalbeattie. This loch, which is 298 feet above sea level, has a somewhat 

 triangular outline ; it is i mile long by I mile wide, and has a maximum 

 depth of 55 feet. It is surrounded by low hills, the lower slopes of 

 which are wooded, chiefly with coniferous trees, to the water's edge (fig. 58), 

 excepting on the west where the country is open and agricultural land 

 prevails. The water is slightly peaty, and the marginal flora is poor 

 in variety. No boat being available, I am unable to indicate the bottom 

 flora. At the south-east end there are associations of Scirpus lacustris, 

 Equisetum limosum, and Carex rostrata, none of which grows so tall and 

 luxuriant as might be expected from the lowland situation. This is prob- 

 ably the result of wind, combined with a poor supply of food-salts. At the 

 west side, where the shore is boggy, there are associations of Phragmites 

 communis, but the specimens are dwarfed ; also of Carex rostrata, Equisetum 

 limosum, Castalia speciosa, and Menyanthes trifoliata ; otherwise the some- 

 what flat and stonj^ shores are either bare of vegetation, or sparsely clothed 

 with a few common plants. Lobelia Dortmanna occurs abundantlj^ here 

 and there in the marojinal zone, alono- with Littorella lacustris, but other 

 submerged aquatics appear to be scarce. 



Auchenhill Loch, which is 4 miles south of Dalbeattie, is the smallest of 

 a group of four lochs. It is about ^ mile long by 100 yards wide, and 

 is a typical lowland pool, situated amidst pleasant pastoral scenery. 

 There are no trees at its margin, but it is more or less surrounded by a 

 zone of Phragmites communis, behind which there is a border of marsh, 

 overgrown with plants common to such a habitat, and merging imperceptibly 

 into meadow. In front of the Phragmites, a belt of Castalia speciosa almost 

 encircles the loch. The water cannot be approached on account of the 

 surrounding bog; and no boat being available, I am unable to give an 

 account of the submerged flora. 



Barean Loch is about ^ mile east of the last mentioned, but it is 



