446* BUTE. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 



west, maintaining a general parallelism. In these respects, 

 its outline conforms to those of the proximate coasts of 

 Argyllshire, and to the boundaries of Loch Fyne and Loch 

 Straven; those outlines appearing in all these instances 

 to have been determined by the forms of the ridges of 

 hills, which are also composed of similar materials, both 

 on the mainland and in this island. 



Bute is naturally divided into three portions, not more 

 distinct in their general forms than in their mineral 

 structure.* The Garroch head consists of a ridgy and 

 rugged group of hills, rising in different places to an ele- 

 vation which varies from 600 to 800 feet, and composed 

 almost entirely of trap rocks. This is separated from 

 the middle district by a narrow tract, very little elevated 

 above the sea, which is formed of alluvial matter and 

 vegetable soil. The middle portion is an undulating land, 

 scarcely attaining in the highest parts an altitude of 300 

 feet ; composed, with slight exceptions, of sandstone, and 

 divided from the third and northern tract by a low valley 

 which extends from Roth say to Scalspie. The northern 

 district is formed of various primary rocks of a schistose 

 structure : but these divisions must be examined in greater 

 detail. 



The district last mentioned, consists of various detached 

 hills, associated with one predominant ridge which stretches 

 from the north-west point of the island to the valley that 

 separates the bay of Etrick from Kaimes bay. This valley 

 is but little elevated above the sea; and, like the two 

 already described, it intersects the island in a somewhat 

 transverse direction. The principal ridge occupies the 

 eastern side of the island almost uninterruptedly ; extend- 

 ing from Kaimes castle to within a short distance of the 

 Kyles, and declining regularly to the sea on that side; 

 while, on the western, it reaches the shore by a set of 

 lower elevations. For want of accurate measurements, its 

 height is estimated at 1000 feet; and this also is the 



* Plate XXII. lig. 2. 





