26 A VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF THE MORAY BASIN. 



extent of natural oak. The hills come nearer the sea here than 

 farther east, and these are in great measure covered with the usual 

 Scots fir plantations, which stretch almost continuously to Eose- 

 hall, the only break of any extent being between Balblair on the 

 east, and the Linsett woods on the west, of the Shin valley, though 

 even here the line of wood is continued by some patches of oak, 

 probably natural.^ 



The Dornoch Firth itself is one of the largest inlets in our area, 

 and extends for fifteen or sixteen miles up to Bonar Bridge, where 

 the Kyle begins, and the tide affects this up to Invercassley, some 

 nine or ten miles farther up. It is navigable, and that for small 

 crafts only, to a little below Bonar Bridge, the vessels grounding 

 and discharging cargo in that position. Before the railway was 

 made, the only bridge crossing the Kyle was at Bonar Bridge 

 (which was carried away by the great floods of January 1892), 

 the only other means of transit being by crossing the Meikle Ferry, 

 on the road between Tain and Dornoch. 



On a fine June day, the view, looking up the firth, even from 

 the train, is very beautiful indeed. The hills on either side are 

 clothed with heather and the dark firs ; the lower ground, yellow 

 with the whin and broom blossom, one mass of glory; and the 

 green fields of the cultivated ground, with the blue waters of the 

 firth, give as fine contrasts of colour as one can well meet with in 

 the Highlands. Two prominent objects are the point at Spinning- 

 dale and the rock called Dun Creich. On the top of the latter is a 

 vitrified fort : the rock itself is very steep and descends abruptly 

 into the sea. 



There are five rivers of importance in this part of our area — 



^ In the article just mentioned it is said : — ' The woods and plantations 

 are almost entirely confined to the parishes in the Dunrobin district. They 

 extend to 11,000 acres, exclusive of natural birch woods, and yield a fair revenue 

 yearly. They are composed mostly of Scots fir, with some larch and spruce in- 

 termixed. Near Dunrobin there is a considerable area of hardwood, part of the 

 wood growing down to the very sea edge. The sales are principally confined to 

 Scots fir, which is purchased by merchants, sawn in the plantations, and disposed 

 of chiefly as railway sleepers and herring barrel staves. ' 



At p. 155 of the Highland and Agricultural Association's Prize Essays, 

 vol. v., 1837, Mr. Dempster writes that he planted over 11,000 acres at Skibo 

 * within the last five years. ' 



