308 FORESTS OF SCOTLAND. 



and was turned into sheep-farms, in which state it continued 

 till the year 1820, when it was again converted into a forest 

 by the present Marquis of Breadalbane. 



The number of deer was at that time very small indeed, 

 and these were scattered over a very wide district of coun- 

 try, namely, from the western extremity of Loch Rannoch 

 to the head of Loch Etive on one side, and from Glencoe to 

 Ben Aulder and Loch Eroch on the other. At this time it is 

 not supposed that the stock of deer could have exceeded one 

 hundred head. No sboner, however, was a part of Cor- 

 richibah kept clear from sheep, than these deer gathered in ; 

 and the number now in Lord Breadalbane's forest cannot be 

 computed at less than 1,500. The extent of ground strictly 

 kept for deer is about 35,000 acres. It extends on the north 

 side from the western extremity of Loch Lydoch, by the 

 king's house in Rannoch, to Dulness in Glen Etive ; and on 

 the south side from the confines of the county of Perth, by 

 Loch Tulla and the River Urchay, to Corri Vicar and Glen- 

 ketland. The ground is peculiarly adapted for deer, being 

 rocky and steep, and the hills are varied with numerous 

 corries. The rocks are mostly granite and porphyry. The 

 grass is remarkably fine, and the sheep of the Black Mount 

 are greatly esteemed in the Glasgow market. 



The highest hills in the forest are Ben Toag, which rises 

 on the north side of Loch Tulla ; Stoupgyers, or the Hill of 

 Goats ; Clachlig, or the Stony Face ; Sroin-na-forseran, or 

 the Forester's Nose ; Mealvourie, and the Craish, which 

 rises on the south side of Glen Etive. There is a con- 

 siderable extent of low ground, about nine miles in length 

 by five or six in breadth, extending from the bases of the 

 hills on the east side as far as Loch Lydoch. In this low 

 ground there is a continued chain of small lochs, called the 

 Bah Lochs, in which there are several small wooded islands ; 

 into these the deer are very fond of going. This low ground 

 is of very great service to the forest, both as it affords good 

 wintering and very early grass in the spring ; for at that 

 period of the year the deer may be seen standing in the 

 water picking rushes and grass which grow at the sides of 

 the river and lochs. This early grass is of immense im- 

 portance to them, and, combined with the strong hill 



