WOODS, LOCHS, AND PASTURES 81 



knew the direction of these steps, were able, with the help of 

 staves, to cross and recross with safety. 



Surface vegetation, Loch-a-Raonabuilg, 13th August 

 1908: 



(1) A band of White Water Lily surrounds a central oval 

 space of deep water (probably with submerged plants) about 

 acre in area; (2) a zone of Eeeds ; (3) mixed vegetation 

 at the edges, including Carex inflata, Potentilla palustris, 

 Menyanthes trifoliata, Cladiwn Mariscus, Mentha aquatica, 

 Juncus acutiflorus, Agrostis alba, Myric.a Gale, Sphagnum, 

 and other mosses. 



Carex lasiocarpa is abundant at the margin of Loch-na- 

 Sgiiid. 



Pastures. The bulk of the grassy pastures and the arable 

 land lies between sea-level and 250 feet elevation. From 

 250 to 350 feet (roughly) there is a good deal of bushy sedge 

 and rush-covered ground and areas of heathy moor. Above 

 350 feet the hills, with the exception of those of phyllite 

 formation, which have grassy patches up to their summits, 

 are clothed with heather. Slopes covered with heather 

 down to the rocky shores are to be seen on the east side 

 of the northern part of the island. 



Three well-marked zones of vegetation may again be 

 observed over smaller areas in the hilly pastures : (a) heather- 

 covered hill-tops, (&) grassy slopes, and (c) bushy, often 

 marshy, hollows overgrown with Juncus acutiflorus, species 

 of Carex, Molinia, Agrostis, Erica tetralix, Myrica Gale, 

 Salix, etc. More frequently the grassy zone is wanting, 

 or is confined to small patches with herbage in varying 

 proportions, according as the ground is well drained or 

 not, of Festuca ovina, Nardus stricta, Juncus squarrosus, 

 Carex linervis, Carex flacca, Molinia, etc. The heather in 

 heathy parts is often mixed with Carex binervis, Scirpus 

 ccespitosus, Molinia, Luzula, Anthoxanthiim odoratum, etc. ; 



