CHAPTER IV 



WOODS, LOCHS, AND PASTURES 



Natural Woods. 1 There are two natural woods Coille-mhor 

 and Coille-bheag on the eastern slopes of the northern half 

 of the island, and there is reason to believe that formerly 

 they extended over a much larger area of the island than 

 they now cover. The woods principally consist of birch of 

 the Tomentosa section. Varieties of Betula alba were dis- 

 covered, but not the type; investigations in this direction, 

 however, were not searching. There is a good proportion of 

 oak (one specimen being identified as Quercus pedunculata 

 and another as Q. sessiliflora) in Coille-mhor ; and of Aspen 

 (Populus tremula) in Coille-bheag, where some trees 30 to 35 

 feet high are to be seen. Hazel, Rowan, Willow, HaAvthorn, 

 and Holly also enter into the composition of the woods. A 

 few good-sized Ash-trees are to be seen in Glaic-an-Uinnsinn, 

 but it is doubtful if they are truly indigenous. Near the 

 beginning of last century a path from Colonsay House was 

 made through Coille-mhor to a summer-house (an Tigh 

 C6intich) at Cul-Salach, and it is possible that the Ash- 

 trees were then planted. 



Although many of the old Birch-trees are dying out, the 

 woods are being rejuvenated by young plantations of Birch 



1 This paper on " Jsatural Woods and Plantations" was read 

 before the Edinburgh Botanical Society at their meeting on 8th 

 April 1909. 



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