168 BATHYMETRICAL SURVEY OF 



LOCHS OF THE POLLY BASIN. 



ONLY the two principal lochs in this basin (Lochan Gainmheich and 

 Loch Skinaskink) were surveyed; Loch na Doire Seirbhe, Loch Lon 

 na-h-TJamha, Loch Uidh Tarruingeach, and other smaller lochs had no 

 boats on them at the time of the visit of the Lake Survey, and it was 

 found impracticable to have boats transported to them. The waters of 

 Lochan Gainmheich are discharged into Loch Skinaskink, thence by 

 the river Polly into Loch Polly, an inlet of Enard Bay. 



Lochan Gainmheich (see Plate XXXIX.). Lochan Gainmheich lies 

 about 1 miles to the north of Loch Lurgain and a quarter of a mile to 

 the south-west of Loch Skinaskink, into which its waters are discharged 

 by the Allt Lochan Gainmheich. The eastern end of the loch lies 

 between Cul Mor and Cul Beag, and to the west An Stac rises to over 

 2000 feet; Cul Beag and An Stac are connected by a ridge between 

 Loch Lurgain and Lochan Gainmheich over 200 feet above the level of 

 the loch, so that only towards Loch Skinaskink can an extensive view 

 be obtained. The southern shore of Lochan Gainmheich is thickly 

 wooded, but the northern and western shores are bare. The loch is 

 naturally divided into a larger and deeper southern portion and a 

 smaller and shallower northern portion, and it has been found con- 

 venient to measure these two distinct portions separately. 



The southern portion is a mile in length from east to west, and 

 nearly half a mile in maximum breadth, the mean breadth being over 

 one-fifth of a mile. The area is about 135 acres, and it drains an area 

 of nearly 2f square miles. Over 50 soundings were taken, and the 

 maximum depth observed was 120 feet. The volume of water is 

 estimated at 245,711,000 cubic feet, and the mean depth at nearly 42 

 feet. This portion of Lochan Gainmheich is extremely simple in 

 conformation, the bottom sinking down on all sides towards the deepest 

 part, which is approximately centrally placed. The 50-feet area is 

 about 1100 yards in length, and the 100-feet area about 400 yards in 

 length, the maximum depth of 120 feet having been observed about 

 130 yards from the southern shore. The areas between the contour- 

 lines, and the percentages to the total area, are as follows : 





