THE FRESH- WATER LOCHS OF SCOTLAND. 293 



LOCHS OF THE SHIN BASIN. 



THE lochs visited by the Lake Survey draining by the river Shin and 

 river Oykell into the Dornoch firth are Lochs Shin, Merkland, a' 

 Ghriama, Fiodhaig, Gorm Loch Mor, Ailsh, Craggie, an Daimh, 

 Migdale, and an Lagain, and it has been found convenient to include 

 also Loch Buidhe, flowing by the river Fleet into Loch Fleet, lying to 

 the north of the Dornoch firth. The drainage area, to be dealt with is 

 indicated on the index map (Fig. 48), and extends from Tarbat Ness 

 on the east to Cnoc a' Choilich (little more than 3 miles from the shores 

 of Loch Broom) on the west, and to Ben Hee and Carn Dearg on the 

 north, the total area being about 860 square miles, of which about 770 

 square miles drain into the Dornoch firth and about 90 square miles 

 into Loch Fleet. Of this total about 240 square miles drain into 

 the lochs under consideration, as will be seen from the summary 

 table on page 305. The principal loch is Loch Shin, one of the 

 largest of Scottish lochs, the others being comparatively small, Loch 

 Merkland being the only one exceeding 2 miles in length. Loch 

 Shin receives the outflow from Lochs Merkland and a' Ghriama at 

 its northern end, and the outflow from Loch Fiodhaig about 5 miles 

 down on its eastern shore. Gorm Loch Mor lies at the headwaters of 

 the river Cassley, a tributary of the river Oykell, and Loch an Daimh 

 flows by the river Einig into the river Oykell, which also receives the 

 outflow from Lochs Ailsh and Craggie. The river Shin, bearing the 

 outflow from Loch Shin, joins the river Oykell to form the Kyle of 

 Sutherland at the head of the Dornoch firth. Loch Migdale flows by 

 a short stream into the Dornoch firth on its northern side, and Loch an 

 Lagain flows by a longer stream (the river Evelix) also into the Dornoch 

 firth on its northern side. Loch Buidhe flows by the river Torboll into 

 the river Fleet at the head of Loch Fleet. The boundary-line between 

 Ross-shire and Sutherlandshire follows the course of the river Oykell 

 from the head of the Dornoch firth to Breabag Tarsuinn, passing up the 

 middle of Loch Ailsh, which thus lies partly in Ross and partly in 

 Sutherland, while Lochs Craggie and an Daimh are located in Ross- 

 shire and the remaining lochs under consideration in Sutherlandshire. 



Loch Shin (See Plates LXV. and LXVI.). Loch Shin is the largest 

 loch in Scotland to the north of Loch Ness, and, as regards length, it 



