oj the Fishery Board for Scotland, 285 



moorland, but round the north and east are cultivated fields. The 

 principal inlet, which is at the south-west end, is a sluggish stream, two 

 or three yards wide, with soft boggy ground, thickly covered with grass 

 and reeds on each side. The outlet is by Hempriggs burn, which, flowing 

 east and north, joins Wick River near the town of Wick. This loch was 

 examined about the middle of September, and by hand-net from the shore. 



Loch Wester. 



Loch Wester is about five miles north of Wick and a short distance off 

 the road from Wick to Kiess. It is about one and a half mile in circum- 

 ference, and is so little above the sea that during high spring tides the sea is 

 said to flow into it. The River Wester flows through it, and falls into the 

 sea at Sinclair Bay, scarcely a mile from the loch. It contains both sea 

 and loch trout. At the time of my visit, in September last year, the 

 water of the loch appeared to be perfectly fresh, its density being 1000*4, 

 and its temperature 13*6 C. The density of the water for domestic use 

 in Wick, tested at the same time and with the same hydrometer, was 

 1000*6, and the temperature of the water when tested 11*1 C* It was 

 therefore interesting to find in the fresh water of the loch that Mysis 

 vulgaris was quite common. This species is sometimes common in the 

 Forth above Queensferry. I have also taken it in Granton Harbour, 

 along the shore at Portobello, where it was plentiful, and in an old brick- 

 field near Dunbar to which the tide has free access, and at other places. 

 It would thus appear that Mysis vulgaris is capable of surviving under 

 very varied conditions. The loch was examined by hand-net from the 

 shore, but with the exception of the Mysis referred to, comparatively few 

 organisms were obtained. 



The shores of Wick River, in the vicinity of the town of Wick, were 

 also examined about the same time as the two lochs here described. The 

 invertebrata obtained are recorded in the following lists, Cypris prasina, 

 Fischer, was a very common species in the Wick River. 



MOLLUSCA. 



Sphcerium corneum (Linn£). Frequent. 



Pisidium fontinale (Drap. ). Loch Hempriggs. 



Valvata piscinalis (Miiller). Loch Wester and Loch Hempriggs, rather rare. 



Planorbis albus (Miiller). Loch Wester, common. 



, . contortus (Linne). Loch Hempriggs, common. 



,, vortex (Linne). Rather rare. 

 Limncea peregra (Miiller). Common in both lochs. 



,, truncatula (Miiller). Loch Wester, common also in Wick River. 

 Succinea putris (Linne). Loch Wester, frequent. 



CRUSTACEA. 



SCHIZOPODA. 

 Mysis vulgaris, Thompson. Loch Wester, frequent. 



Amphipoda. 



Gammarus pulex (Linne). Loch Hempriggs, common. 



* It is important to note, in connection with the density observations referred to 

 in this paper, that the temperature of the water was tested and recorded at the time 

 the density observations were taken. 



