1909-10.] Flora of Scottish Lakes. 157 



lacustris, not abundant ; Nitella opaca, Callitriclie autumnalis, and Myrio- 

 phyllum spicatum, all very abundant ; Potamogeton pusillus, P. perfoliatus, 

 and Polygonum aniphibiuni, not abundant. All the following were com- 

 paratively scarce : — Carex rostrata, C. Goodenovii, C. disticha, C. flava, 

 Caltha palustris, Mentha sativa, M. aquatica, Juncus acutiflorus, J. effusus, 

 J. conglomeratus, Phalaris arundinacea, Spiraea Ulmaria, and Ranunculus 

 Flammula. Brj'ophytes were very scarce. 



King'horn Loch is a rectangular sheet of water about \ mile across, 

 situated a mile west of the village of Kinghorn, at an elevation of 204 feet 

 above sea level. The water, wliich has a maximum depth of 38 feet, is not 

 peaty, but turbid and dead-looking. The west shore, upon which there are 

 a few willow trees, is flat and boggy, and its vegetation merges into that of 

 the adjoining meadow, this being the only side of the loch where there is 

 any development of marsh plants. A public road adjoining the south side 

 is shut off from the loch by a wall and a row of bushes, below which a few 

 marsh plants may be found, but there is j)ractically no shore, except in a dry 

 season when the water has fallen. The east shore is composed of dirty 

 sand or gravel, with stretches of bare volcanic rocks. At the north side 

 either meadow-land or a wall adjoins the water, without the intervention 

 of a shore. 



In early summer the water contains a vast quantity of Anaba^na Flos- 

 aquaj, var. circinalis, which so discolours the water in some parts, in ac- 

 cordance with the direction of the wind, that it has the appearance of pale 

 green paint. A number of perch, which, I suppose, were killed by the 

 Anabffina, were strewn about the shore. The exact action of this alga upon 

 the fish is not known, but it is usuall}^ thought that it clogs the gills, 

 although there ma}' be poisonous properties as well, several species of 

 Myxophyceffi being known to be baneful to horses and cattle that drink 

 water containing them. 



The west side of the loch is overgrown with an association of Poly- 

 gonum amphibium, that extends from the marsh}' ground outwards until 

 the water is 6 or 7 feet deep, which is an unusual depth for this plant to 

 flourish in. On drier parts of the bog terrestrial forms of Ranunculus peltatus 

 and R. Drouetii cover a considerable tract, mingling with the Polygonum 

 on the one hand, and with the grass of the meadow on the other. I have 

 not seen these plants growing in terrestrial form to such an extent elsewhere. 

 The following marsh plants also occur, but more or less scattered, as there 

 are no large associations ; and it will be noticed that while a number of 

 uncommon plants grow at this loch, some of the usual ones are absent : — 

 Equisetum limosum and its var. fluviatile, Sparganium ramosum, Heleo- 



