THE FRESH-WATER LOCHS OF SCOTLAND. 309 



LOCHS OF THE NAVER BASIN. 



THERE are five lochs within this basin to be dealt with here, of which 

 the largest is Loch Naver, though Loch Coir' an Fhearna has a greater 

 depth ; a few small lochs within the basin could not be sounded by the 

 Lake Survey for lack of boats. The overflow from Loch na Meide is 

 carried by the Amhainn Bheag and River of Mudale into Loch Naver, 

 and shortly after leaving Loch Naver the river Naver is joined by the 

 river Mallart, bearing the overflow from Lochs a' Bhealaich and Coir' 

 an Fhearna, while still further on the river Naver is joined by the 

 Langdale burn, bearing the overflow from Loch Syre. Of the total 

 area of the basin (nearly 200 square miles), about 119 square miles, 

 or 60 per cent., drain into these five lochs. 



Loch na Meide (see Plate LXXI.). Loch na Meide (or Meadie) lies 

 about 10 miles to the south of Tongue, and about 22 miles to the north 

 of Lairg, which is the nearest railway station. It trends nearly north 

 and south, and is very irregular in outline, the northern portion being 

 narrow, while the southern portion widens out considerably ; there is a 

 very narrow and shallow constriction near the middle, which practically 

 cuts the loch into two portions. It is 3J miles in length, and has a 

 maximum breadth near the southern end of over a mile, the mean 

 breadth of the entire loch being a quarter of a mile. Its waters cover 

 an area of about 555 acres, or nearly 1 square mile, and it drains an 

 area of 8 square miles. The maximum depth of 63 feet was observed in 

 the wide southern portion of the loch, but towards the eastern shore, 

 about 650 yards from the southern end, and only about 100 yards from 

 one of the small unnamed islands. The volume of water is estimated at 

 498 million cubic feet, and the mean depth at 20J feet. The loch was 

 surveyed on September 25, 1902, when the elevation of the lake-surface 

 was found, by levelling from bench-mark, to be 488*35 feet above the 

 sea. 



Loch na Meide is very irregular in conformation, with many small 

 islands in the southern half, the largest of which is named Eilean Mor. 

 The deepest water was found near the southern end; a sounding in 

 44 feet was taken about 200 yards from the southern shore, and there is 

 a small area about one-third of a mile in length exceeding 50 feet in 



