176 



Part III. — Thirteenth Annual Report 



Loch of Snarravoe. 



Proceeding for about half a mile S.W. from the Loch of Stourhoull, 

 along a connecting burn, we come to the Loch of Snarravoe. It is about 

 three-quarters of a mile long and a quarter of a mile broad, and has a small 

 burn falling into the sea (or Blue Mull Sound). It is said to be a splendid 

 loch for trout fishing, the trout being the largest found in Unst. When 

 visited in July the hand-net was freely used along the eastern shore of 

 the loch. There is a boat on the loch, but it was not available at the 

 time (12 th July). 



Loch of Belmont. 



The Loch of Belmont lies below the Manor-house and farm of Belmont, 

 and quite near the sea, with which it is connected by a small burn. No 

 trout are found here. The last proprietor (the late Major Cameron of 

 Garth) made a better connection with the sea by deepening the burn, 

 and tried to stock it with trout, but without success. The experiment 

 has been repeated by several others, but the fish always disappeared. 

 As this is the only loch of any size in Unst where trout do not thrive, it 

 would be interesting to know the reason. So far as remembered, there is 

 no burn leading inland from the loch. The shores are gravelly, with little 

 or no vegetation growing in the water, and it is possible that the fish put 

 in had fallen a prey to cormorants. The loch is nearly one-third of a mile 

 long, and comparatively narrow. Specimens of the fauna were collected in 

 the hand-net at different places round the shore on 12th July. 



Small Loch of Uyasound. 



This is a small loch close to the Post Office, near the sea, but seldom 

 flooded by salt water. It is therefore to all intents and purposes a fresh- 

 water loch, and contains a considerable growth of rushes and other vegeta- 

 tion. A burn of considerable size runs through it to the sea, and also 

 connects it with some smaller lochs — the 4 Small Waters' — further 

 inland. As might be expected, trout are plentiful here in summer and 

 autumn. This loch was examined on 22nd Sept., the hand-net being 

 used. 



Large Loch of Uyasound. 



The Large Loch of Uyasound is a pretty large sheet of water, quite 

 close to the sea, and practically a tidal lagoon, as the spring-tides always 

 flow into it. It was carefully searched by means of the hand-net in July, 

 but the fauna that was abundant in the other lochs, examined at the 

 same date, was here conspicuous by its absence. Several varieties of 

 sea-weeds were found growing round the shores, even on the landward 

 side, where a small burn falls into the loch. Trout, often of a large size, 

 are very plentiful here. 



Small Waters of Unst. 



This term is applied to a group of small lochs lying to the north of 

 Uyasound, in the direction of the Loch of Whatley. Several of these 

 were searched on 22nd Sept., but no great variety of life was visible. 



