78 COLONSAY 



on the rocky southern side, while Cladium Mariscus is more 

 abundant at the east end. Litorella uniflora, Juncus bulbosus 

 (in a variety of shade and form), Myriophyllum alternifolium, 

 Potentilla palusiris, Menyanthes trifoliata, besides other 

 marsh and aquatic plants, are common along the shallow 

 water and marshy ground at the edges. Beyond the reed 

 zone the water suddenly deepens, and this on more than one 

 occasion has given an unexpected ducking to the unwary 

 juvenile hunter after water-fowls' eggs. This part might well 

 have formed the banks of the original lake, when the water 

 stood much below its present level and the trees whose de- 

 caying remains now lie under water reared their leafy heads 

 over dry land. 



Callitriche autumnaUs, Potamogeton pusillus, etc., driven 

 ashore in windy weather or torn up by water-fowl, indicate 

 to some extent the curious and interesting vegetation that 

 develops under the placid waters of the deeper part of the 

 loch. The plants in the following list were obtained by 

 dragging from the loch boats, and identified, along with those 

 from Loch Sgoltaire, by Mr Arthur Bennett, F.L.S. During 

 dragging operations large masses of Callitriche autumnaUs 

 and Potamogeton several feet in length were brought to 

 the surface. 



Callitriche autumnaUs. Utricularia neglecta. 



Potamogeton perfoliatus. Naias flexilis. 



pusilhis. Myriophyllum alternifolium. 

 , , var. tennis- Sparganium minimum, 



simus ? Juncus supinus, var . fiuitans. 



heterophyllus, Litorella uniflora. ' 



Sturrockii. Charafragilis. 



nitens, , , vulgaris. 



filiformis. , , aspera. 



Elatine hexandra. Nitella opaca. 



Utricularia minor. Ranunculus Drouetii. 



The loch lies in an old valley which, at a remote period, 

 had been blocked in on its western end by the throwing up 



