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



The north shore resembles that on the south, but vegetation is some- 

 what less abundant. In some places associations of Equisetum limosum 

 extend into the water beyond the marginal zone o£ Heleocharis palustris. 



At the south-east end, an arm to the reservoir has been formed by con- 

 structing a dam across an adjacent vallej^ and excavating a connection. 

 The flora of this arm or bay is similar to that of the main body of water. 

 There is an extensive marsli on its west side, with vegetation similar to 

 that existing at the west end of the main reservoir, excepting that Spirsea 

 Ulmaria is conspicuous by its greater abundance and luxuriance, and that 

 the var. fluviatile of Equisetum limosum is more abundant than the type. 



Bryophytes are poorly represented by a few of the conunon marsh mosses. 

 The Heleocharis palustris growing at this reservoir was much diseased by 

 Claviceps nigricans, Tul. (Sclerotium Eleochaindis, Thuin.), some of the 

 inflorescences bearing 3 or 4 ergots h inch long. This fungus is one seldom 

 met with in this country. 



Carriston Reservoir is a sub-circular sheet of water, \ mile across, 

 situated 2 miles north-east of Markinch in a rich agricultural district. It 

 was formed by the construction of a long dam across a valley through which 

 flowed a tributary of the River Leven. The water is clear, and not peaty. 

 The dam occupies most of the west side, and there is not much shore on the 

 south, as a bank, which is faced with stonework, frequently enters the water. 

 On the north and east there is a flat, sandy or muddy shore, and the small 

 amount of marsh vegetation about the loch occurs at this place. There is a 

 mixed plantation and a few isolated trees on the north shore (flg. 98), other- 

 wise there is no wood in the immediate vicinity of the water. Heleocharis 

 acicularis forms a dense sward on parts of the sandy-muddy shore, covering 

 it as grass does a meadow, and entering the water to a depth of 3 or 4 feet. 

 I have not seen this plant so abundant anywhere else. On some parts of 

 the exposed shore terrestrial forms of Myriophyllum spicatum were abundant. 

 In one or two places Gnaphalium uliginosum and Juncus bufonius formed a 

 dense sward. Heleocharis palustris is abundant near the winter water level, 

 but the plants are dwarfed, being only 6 or 8 inches high, probably because 

 they are left comparatively dry in summer, owing to the water receding 

 from them. The tiny Ranunculus reptans is very abundant here, even 

 more so than at Loch Leven, where it also occurs, the sandy shore in some 

 places being covered with it (fig. 94). Water-fowl migrating eastwards from 

 Loch Leven, and avoiding the Lomond Hills, would be likely to drop down 

 at Carriston, which is only 10 miles distant, and probably by their agency 

 several plants common at Loch Leven have been introduced to this reservoir. 

 Besides the above, the following plants also occur here : — Littorella 



