of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



329 



island near the centre. The lochs are quite near each other, connected 

 by a fair-sized burn, and they have many points of resemblance. The 

 water is clear and transparent, and free from the mossy sediment usually 

 prevalent in Shetland lochs. The shores are gravelly, with occasional 

 stretches of rock, and there were few aquatic plants to be seen. The 

 hand-net was used along the whole length of the northern shores of 

 both lochs, wherever the water was deep enough to admit of it. Free 

 swimming animalculce were very scarce ; the specimens obtained were 

 mostly shell-fish and insect larvae. The collections from the two lochs 

 appeared to be similar in many respects. As the season was far advanced, 

 the day cold, and the lochs and burn flooded, the examination could hardly 

 be considered satisfactory. A visit under more favourable conditions 

 might yield better results. 



(5) Long Lochs and Flossie Loch, Gulberwick. 



Examined, 10th September 1896. 



These are three small tarns lying in a marsh among the hills west of 

 Gulberwick, some four miles from Lerwick. Though rather inaccessible, 

 they are well worth a visit, and they are a favourite resort of trout-fishers. 

 None of the Shetland lochs yet visited showed such a profusion of aquatic 

 plants, and the fauna appeared to be both abundant and varied. The 

 lochs are about 300 feet above sea-level. 



(6) Loch of Fladdabister (7 or 8 miles S. of Lerwick). 



Examined, 10th September 1896. 



This loch is not far from the sea, and at a much lower elevation 

 than the Flossie Lochs. It looks best at a distance : a closer examination 

 is disappointing. Its shores have a desolate appearance, entirely devoid 

 of plant life, and fauna seemed extremely scarce, though a long and 

 careful search was made with the hand-net all round the loch. The 

 adjacent ground and the bottom of the loch are covered with deep moss ; 

 the shores are rocky, without a trace of vegetation. 



II. Lochs of Bressay. 



All the lochs in the north part of Bressay were examined last year, and 

 described, along with the general features of the island, in the Board's 

 report for 1895. This year three lochs in the centre of the island were 

 visited and examined. 



Aith Loch. 



Examined, 15th October 1896. 



The Loch of Aith lies about half a mile inland from the voe of the 

 same name, and at an altitude of 70 or 80 feet above sea-level. Like 

 the other lochs in Bressay, it is comparatively small. It was freer from 

 moss and mud than most of the neighbouring lochs. Algae were growing 

 freely in some parts, and animalculae seemed well distributed all round 

 the margin. The loch was examined about noon, the day being fine, with 

 a bright sun. 



Loch of Setter. 



Examined, 15th October 1896. 



The Loch of Setter is 43 feet above the level of the sea, to which a 

 burn flows through it from the Loch of Brough. It is about the same 



