of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 275 



Kaith Lake. 



Raith Lake, in the parish of Abbotshall, is situated within the pleasure 

 grounds of the Raith estate, the property of Munro-Ferguson, Esq. M.P. 

 and is therefore private. Permission to examine the loch was readily 

 granted to me by Mr Prentiss, factor on the estate, who also kindly 

 offered to give me the use of a boat, but unfortunately I was unable to 

 take advantage of it for want of time. The site of the loch was 

 originally an extensive hollow, as if scooped out in some measure for the 

 purpose by the hand of Nature, and by filling the hollow up at some 

 places, and deepening and extending it at others, the formation of the lake 

 was in a short time completed. The extent of ground covered by it is not 

 less than 21 acres, and the water is in some places 25 feet deep.* Trout, 

 Perch, Pike, and Eels are common in the loch. It is beautifully situated, 

 and is to some extent surrounded by trees and shrubbery ; in some places 

 it is partly overgrown with vegetation, and the Bull-rush (Typlia latifolia), 

 a rare plant, grows luxuriantly at its lower end. At the time of my visit 

 the water was teeming with Entomostraca, some of the more common 

 species being Sida crystallina, Daphnella brachyura, Scapholeberis 

 rornuta, Pleuroxus uncinatus. A great variety of Cladocera were obtained 

 here. Copepoda were also common, and included Cyclops affinis and what 

 appears to be an undescribed species. Ostracoda were scarcely so numerous 

 as might have been expected. Mollusca were moderately common, but 

 the species obtained belonged to those that are of more or less general 

 occurrence throughout Scotland. The curious Diatom, Gomphonema 

 capitatum, Ehr., was obtained here. 



Camilla Loch. 



Camilla Loch, in the parish of Auchtertool, derives its name from the 

 old house of Camilla, anciently called Hallyards, but which was changed 

 to Camilla from its being the residence of one of the Countesses of Moray 

 whose name was Campbell. The loch is situated a little to the north of 

 the village of Auchtertool. The extent of its surface is about 18 acres, 

 and its greatest depth is said to be 22 feet, the deepest part being towards 

 the east end. The west end is much overgrown with vegetation. It con- 

 tains perch, pike, and eels. The small stream that runs from the loch 

 is the principal feeder of Raith Lake. 



The invertebrate fauna of the loch appeared to be fairly abundant, but 

 there was time for only a partial examination being made. Among the 

 organisms collected, Entomostraca were largely represented. In some of 

 the small sheltered bays, where the water was shallow, the common Cypria 

 serena were observed swimming about in myriads. The Horse Leech, 

 (Hcemoi>sis vorax, Mog.), was common in the soft mud at the west end, 

 where the water was shallow. Among the Cladocera observed were Alona 

 guttata and the somewhat rare Alona tenuicauda. The beautiful Volvox 

 globator was also observed in this loch. 



LOCHGELLY LOCH. 



This loch, also in the parish of Auchtertool and a short distance north- 

 west of Camilla Loch, is about three miles in circumference, and is much 

 overgrown with vegetation along the south side. Part of this side only 



* Old Stat. Account of Scot., vol. vi., 1793. 



