18 A VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF THE MORAY BASIN. 



from an extraordinary ravine on its western face called Allt 

 Granda. The stream takes its rise in a little lake near the summit, 

 and a short distance from the lake it has cut a narrow and 

 tremendously deep gash — about 30 feet wide and 200 or 300 deep 

 — the sides of the gorge are quite perpendicular and stained black 

 with the wet. The ledges are covered with beautiful oak and 

 other ferns. The mountains are not so high beyond Sgurr Mhic 

 Bharraich, and are crossed by the well-known Mam Eattachan 

 road, which goes over to Glenelg. The big glen of Glenelg is 

 uninteresting and green. 



The little glen, famous for its Pictish towers, has a quite 

 different character, being narrow, and the hills picturesque and 

 rocky. On the south side is a large group of hills culminating in 

 Ben Sgriol (3196 feet). At the entrance of the glen rises the 

 square mass of Beinn a Chapuill (2471 feet), a very rugged hill 

 v/ith a tabular top. Ben Sgriol is one of the most striking hills in 

 this part of the Highlands ; cut into by deep corries on its north 

 side. The south face over Loch Hourn is very steep and finely 

 broken at its base with wood and rocks. On the north shore of 

 Loch Hourn is the long rugged and irregular ridge of Druim Fada 

 (2327 feet); behind it Glen Dhu-Lochain cuts deep into the hills, 

 containing two beautiful little lakes. On both sides of this glen 

 the hills are very craggy and finely wooded with birch, the south 

 slope of Druim Fada being similar in character. 



The last range with which we have to deal commences on the 

 west, in the district of Knoydart; between Lochs Hourn and 

 Nevis it branches into two ridges, one of which terminates at the 

 jimction of the Kingie with the Garry, while the other forms the 

 northern boundary of Loch Arkaig and terminates at Loch Lochy. 



Commencing on the west, we first have a vast sea of hills com- 

 prising the district of Knoydart, of very rugged aspect. Beinn na 

 Caillich (2573 feet) is the first to attract attention, a fine rugged 

 mountain with a precipitous buttress, Sgurr na Gabhar. Then 

 Sgurr Coire na Connich (2611 feet), a peaked hill over Inverie on 

 Loch Nevis. Then Ladhar Bheinn (3343 feet), which is much the 

 most striking mountain in this neighbourhood. It is a long ridge 

 of irregular form, divided into two parts of unequal size by a deep 



