LOCH SHIN. 397 



with a passport from the duke, or one of his factors. 

 Although generally excluded from fishing in the Shin 

 and Brora rivers, the range of waters to which, inde- 

 pendent of these, he gains access, is quite sufficient 

 to satisfy the most eager cravings after sport, in all its 

 varieties. The great drawback is the comparative 

 scarcity of stations or inns, from which ready access 

 can be obtained to the best lakes and streams. Of 

 these in the district I have alluded to, there are seve- 

 ral, but an additional one placed at the sources of the 

 different rivers would find, during summer, abundant 

 frequenters. 



In regard to the rivers and lochs on the east and 

 north coasts of Sutherlandshire, I have been favoured 

 by the kindness of a gentleman residing in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Bonar-bridge, with the following notes, 

 which embrace, among other particulars, the names 

 of most of the angling stations throughout the county. 



"In Loch Shin the salmo-ferox is common. Last 

 June, 1846, four trout were killed in the course of three 

 hours, the largest of which weighed eleven pounds three 

 ounces ; the second, a common fresh-water trout, five 

 pounds eleven ounces ; the third, three pounds three 

 ounces. These were all captured with ordinary sized 

 trolling tackle, and afforded good sport. The salmo- 

 ferox is found in greatest plenty at the head of the 

 Loch, and in the spawning season numbers of them are 

 taken with nets in the rivers fourteen pounds in weight. 

 They are occasionally caught as heavy as twenty-five 

 pounds. In Loch Geam, immediately above Loch 

 Shin, very large ones have been killed by the troller. 

 Common trout are plentiful. Mr. Dunbar, the best 

 practical angler in the district took, in April last with 

 fly, as many as eight dozen, weighing in all twenty-nine 



