248 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [Sess. lxxviii. 



The Ecology of Knockdow Estate, Argyllshire. 

 By Miss Augusta Lamont. (Map and Plates XV., XVI.) 



(Read 12th February 1914.) 



Extent and Geographical Position. 



The area included under the above title comprises a tract 

 •of about 6000 acres in the Cowal district of Argyllshire. 

 Bounded along its western extent by the waters of Loch 

 Striven for a distance of about 4| miles, and along the 

 greater part of its northern and eastern limits by the 

 watershed of the Inverchaolain Glen, it extends from sea- 

 level to a height of 2005 feet at Cruach nan Capull, the 

 northernmost point. In addition, a detached piece of land, 

 consisting of between 200 and 300 acres situated at Toward 

 Point, is included in the estate. This latter portion of the 

 area has a seaboard of about 11 miles, and extends inland 

 to an elevation of 600 or 700 feet. 



Climate. 



The climate of the district is that which is typical of the 

 West Coast generally : an annual rainfall of about 60 

 inches (58 in 1911) is well distributed throughout the year; 

 frosts are seldom of long duration, and snow rarely lies 

 long except on the hills ; in summer drought and excessive 

 heat are practically unknown ; in autumn and winter gales 

 from the West and South-west are often of great severity, 

 while East wind frequently predominates during the spring 

 months. 



Soil and Geological Formation. 



The estate lies almost entirely on the Metamorphic 

 Rocks of the Highlands, and the overling soil is, to a 

 large extent, of a peaty nature. Part of the Toward Point 

 area, however, lies on the Old Red Sandstone, and alluvial 

 deposits occur on the low-lying ground along the seaboard 

 and in the glens. 



From the above brief description it will be apparent that 

 the area is very favourably situated for studying, within a 

 small compass, various types of flora characteristic of the 

 Western Highlands. It is, besides, very thinly populated, 



