208 Observations upon the Salmon 



exclusively tardy in admitting these genera among the tits, is 

 altogether past my comprehension. 



In the former part of this paper, I alluded to a Himmalayan 

 species, intermediate between the tits and bottletit. It was 

 shown me as a new species of the latter. To judge, however, 

 only from its preserved skin, I should be inclined rather to 

 class it in Parus, but to designate it by some significant epithet, 

 which would imply its near affinity for Mecistura.* It is an 

 interesting link between the two, conclusively illustrative of 

 their physiological proximity. 



Art. VIII. Observations upon the Salmon in Loch Shin, in 

 Sutherland. By James Loch, Esq., M.P. 



The following memoranda respecting the breed of salmon 

 in Loch Shin, in Sutherland, may appear worthy of being 

 noted. 



The river Shin is one of the principal tributaries of the 

 river Oykell, or, as it was anciently called, the river Port-na- 

 culter, which separates the counties of Ross and Sutherland. 



The Shin is entirely a Sutherland river : its course is short, 

 not exceeding six miles; issuing out of a lake of the same 

 name. The river is divided into nearly three equal parts. The 

 upper and the lower portions having a fine gravelly bottom, 

 and full of excellent spawning beds. The central portion 

 consists of a series of rocky rapids, terminating in a consider- 

 able cataract, up which none but the most powerful fish could 

 make their way ; this impediment, together with the absence 

 of all craive dikes until the year 1788, appears to have pro- 

 duced an uncommonly large breed of fish ; for, up to a recent 

 period, many salmon, weighing from 30 lb. to 40 lb., were 

 caught in this river; but, as it became more closely fished, their 

 size diminished. 



Loch Shin, from which this river issues, extends in an easterly 

 and westerly direction about 16 miles. Its average width is 

 about three quarters of a mile. Its depth is various, shoaling, 

 of coarse, towards the mouths of the rivers which fall into it ; 

 and the few islands that are interspersed in it affording many 

 excellent spawning places; but, in general, its depth is too 

 great for this purpose. 



The rivers that fall into the loch are four ; three of 

 which, namely, the Tyrie, the Fiag, and the Merkland, flow 

 from the north: the Kean-loch-bervie flows from the west. 



* It lias been since characterised as Pdrus erythrocephalus. 



