THE ORCHY 361 



fishing, which are distributed between lodges and hotels, belong 

 to the Marquis of Breadalbane. The basin of the loch " is of 

 simple conformation, except that a small depression, with 

 depths exceeding 50 feet, occurs to the south-west of the island 

 Eilean Stalchairichd, separated from the larger deep portion 

 of the loch lying to the north-east of that island, where there is 

 a depression three-quarters of a mile in length and over 75 feet 

 in breadth, the maximum depth of 84 feet having been observed 

 near the southern end of this depression, and a quarter of a 

 mile from the island." 1 



A stream of some little size, but interrupted by falls, enters 

 the loch at the southern end about midway between the lodge 

 and the hotel. It drains the hills to the westward, and has its 

 origin in a small loch called Loch Dochard, and little tarns 

 and streams beyond, which rise near the divide to Glen 

 Etive. 



Loch Tulla used to be very famous for its trout, some great 

 stories being on record of what could be done on a good day by 

 wading round the margins. It would appear that trout of 

 1 lb., 2 lb., and 3 Ib. were common, and that trout up to 9 Ib. 

 have been taken. Curiously enough they were not, apparently, 

 described as ferox. 



Some sixty years ago, however, about the year 1848, the late 

 Lord Breadalbane was advised by some dangerous person to 

 introduce pike. He did so, and Loch Tulla and the neighbour- 

 ing streams have not been quite the same since. The pike 

 increased wonderfully. They were quite a success in this 

 respect. The increase was, however, at the expense of the 

 trout and salmon-fry. Nowadays a systematic war is waged 

 against them when they enter the weedy shallows to spawn in 

 the spring. To increase the stock of trout, the present Marquis 

 has established a small hatchery. 



No mention of the pike is made in the First Statistical Account 

 of this neighbourhood, written in the last decade of the 

 eighteenth century. Salmon, char, trout, and eels are alone 

 mentioned. It has been repeatedly stated that the pike of 

 Loch Awe are sprung from the pike of Loch Tulla, introduced 

 as described. I cannot, however, find any real reason for this 



1 James Chumley, " The Survey of British Lakes " ; Scottish 

 Geographical Magazine, xviii., No. 8, p. 422. 



