of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
185 
his crew for the assistance which they gave in facilitating my work. The 
time at my disposal for the various lochs was so short that the results are 
not so complete as one might desiderate, but they may serve as a useful 
basis for future investigation. Among the lochs which the ' Garland' 
visited, and which were reputed to have furnished oysters in the past, 
were Loch Ryan, "West Loch Tarbert (Kintyre), Loch Tarbert (Jura), 
Loch Killisport, Loch Swen, Loch Creran, Loch Spelve, Loch Scridain, 
Loch-na-Keal, Loch Sunart, Loch Moidart, Loch Aylort, Loch Harport, 
Loch Dunvegan, and Loch Greshornish. The results in several were 
negative, but probably with a greater amount of time for investigating 
these, samples might be obtained, although it can safely be affirmed that 
there are very few oysters now present in them. 
2. Physical Characters. 
{a) Depth, Bottom, ^c. 
The lochs or inlets of the West Coast, open for the most part to the 
Atlantic, and aSord a great number of refuge harbours, being thus unlike 
the eastern seaboard, where the indentations are few and long distances 
apart. The West Coast, therefore, provides, at least so far as protection is 
concerned, a large number of localities in which oyster-beds would be 
sheltered and free from the disturbing influences which were so fatal to 
oyster cultivation attempted on a large scale by M. Coste in the Bay of 
St Brieuc. It is necessary for the well-being of an oyster-bed that it 
should not be in an exposed situation where the disturbing influence of 
heavy seas would be felt. Otherwise the wave disturbance which, during 
heavy gales, agitates the sandy or muddy bottom of shallow seas will rapidly 
silt up and bury the oysters, and even cast them ashore. Among the lochs 
in which it has been proposed to undertake oyster cultivation. Loch 
Killispoct comes within the category of an exposed loch, where the dis- 
turbing influences would be greatly felt over the bulk of it. 
Loch Killisport, which, at the entrance, has a depth of 10 fathoms, 
shallowing rapidly at the head to half a fathom, is from 4 to 5 miles long, 
and is completely exposed to south-west gales. The bottom is composed of 
gravel, sand, shells, and nmd, interspersed with rocky ground, and is 
suitable enough for oysters, but repeated dredgings failed to disclose any 
of these molluscs. The exposed nature, however, of this loch, and the 
heavy seas which must run in it give other inlets advantages over it. 
Loch Swen is the loch immediately to the north of Loch Killisport., and 
like it trends north-east and south-west. It is about 8 miles long. On 
the north side are two sheltered arms, viz., Linne ^Ihuirich, and a north-east 
arm branching off Loch Swen at the Creek of Tayvallich. The head of 
the loch above Tayvallich is known as Sailean M6r, and on the south 
side is a branch at Kilmicliael Inverlussa. 
(1) Linne Mhuirich, 2 miles in length, has a narrow outlet protected 
by Taynisli Island, and is almost completely shut off from Loch Swen. 
At low water the bar at the entrance is less than 1 foot dee]>, and only a 
small boat can enter it at this state of the tide. The average depth 
is about 2 fathoms, the depth ranging from 1 foot to 3 fathoms, with 
a small and sudden depression opposite Taynish House of 7 fathoms in 
depth. While there is mud near the mouth, sand and stones were found 
near the shore. 
(2) Tayvallich Creek is almost landlocked, the narrow entrance to it 
