THE FRESH- WATER LOCHS OF SCOTLAND. 75 



the river Nell into the head of Loch Feochan, while the other two drain 

 by the river Enchar, entering on the southern side of the sea-loch at 

 Kilninver. Lochs Nell and Scamadale are important lochs, both exceeding 

 100 feet in depth, and the fishing in all the lochs is good, Loch na Sreinge 

 being referred to as one of the best fishing lochs in Lorn, though strictly 

 preserved, while Loch Scamadale contains salmon, sea-trout, and yellow 

 trout. 



Loch Nell fsee Plate XXIX.). Loch Nell is situated about 2 miles 

 south-east of Oban, and 1^ miles north-east of the head of Loch Feochan. 

 It may at one time have formed part of the sea-loch, being separated from 

 it by low, flat, alluvial ground. It is somewhat irregular in outline, with a 

 constriction near the middle, and trends in a north-east and south-west 

 direction, being nearly 2 miles in length, by over one-third of a mile 

 in maximum breadth. Its waters cover an area of about 321 acres, or half 

 a square mile, and the drainage area extends to about 14 square miles. 

 The north-eastern half of the loch is comparatively shallow, i.e. less than 

 50 feet in depth, but the south-western portion is deep, the maximum depth 

 of 115 feet having been recorded little more than half a mile from the 

 lower end. The volume of water is estimated at 515 million cubic feet, 

 and the mean depth at 37 feet. The loch was surveyed on May 27, 1903, 

 when the elevation was found to be 49*2 feet above the sea. 



The river Lonan has laid down a considerable delta at the head of the 

 loch, as has also the Allt Cabrachan on the south-eastern shore, near the 

 upper extremity. The conformation of the basin is simple, the 25-feet 

 area being over a mile in length, and distant about half a mile from the 

 head of the loch, while the 50-feet area is three-quarters of a mile, and the 

 100-feet area nearly half a mile, in length. Of the entire lake-floor about 

 56 per cent, is covered by less than 25 feet of water. 



Temperature Observations. Serial temperatures taken in the deepest 

 part of the loch gave the following results : 



Surface... 61-4 Fahr. 



5 feet 54-9 



10 , 52-7 



25 ,, ... ... ... 49 c- 9 



50 49-2 



100 48-2 



The range of temperature from surface to bottom amounted to 13 ? -2, 

 there being a fall of no less than 6-5 between the surface and a depth 

 of 5 feet a fall equal to 1 7 '3 per foot of depth. 



Loch na Sreinge (see Plate XXVIII.). Loch na Sreinge (or String) is 

 situated about 2J miles to the south-east of Loch Scamadale, into which 

 it drains by the Allt Braglenmore, and about a mile north of Loch Avich 

 in the Etive basin. It is sub-triangular in outline, with the apex pointing 

 in a south-west direction, and a large island occupies a central position in 



