FLORA OF SCOTTISH LAKES 
205 
species, is more exuberant than that usually seen in hill lochs, and 
in fact closely resembles that of wind-exposed lowland lochs. This 
is probably due to two causes : — 1st, the lochs are sheltered from the 
prevailing wind by adjacent hills ; 2nd, moorland peat is not abundant 
above the level of the lochs, so that their waters are less peaty than 
usual ; besides which seams of limestone occur in these hills, and its 
influence is undoubtedly felt in the lakes. Otherwise than by the 
greater luxuriance of some of the species, and excluding the large 
associations of Castalia speciosa and Scirpus lacustris, the flora of 
this group of lochs resembles that of those just described. 
Adjoining the beach of Loch Ness at Aldourie there is a small 
lake entirely surrounded and covered with vegetation. From Loch 
Ness shore, where not a single water plant can be observed, thirty 
paces bring one to this little loch, which is entirely overgrown with 
aquatic plants. Surely, but for the unsuitable shore of the former 
loch, some of these plants would occur in it also ! Other similar 
lochs of small size occur hereabout, and another, but larger, is situated 
behind the great beach at the north-east end of Loch Ness. The 
vegetation at these sheltered lochs grows with much greater 
exuberance than the same species at the hill lochs. Besides a number 
of common plants, the following occur at one or another of these 
smaller lochs : — Montia fontana, Apium inundatum, Lysimachia 
vulgaris, L. nemorum, and a curious form of Juncus acutiflorus 
having flowers and nodes viviparous, the young plants from the nodes 
being quite large. 
East of Loch Ness there is a series of lochs, many of considerable 
size, lying at elevations of from 600 feet to 1000 feet above sea-level. 
Loch Ashie is 718 feet above sea-level, and is situated upon an 
open moor. It is about a mile and a half long, with flat and stony 
shores and rather peaty water. On the east side a bleak and dreary 
moor rises gradually from the loch ; on the west the shores are clothed 
with coniferous forest. Towards the south-west the land has been 
recently deforested, so that this portion is as featureless as the eastern 
shore. This loch has a very poor flora, particularly upon its shores. 
Loch Bunachton is an extremely desolate sheet of water, situated 
in the bottom of a vast treeless moor. It is smaller than the last- 
mentioned, but otherwise resembles it in character and flora. 
Loch Culcairn is a recently constructed artificial lake, and the 
water, which is very peaty, presents little of botanical interest. Origin- 
ally there existed on the site a small tarn and extensive peat-diggings. 
The dam is at the north end. 
Lochan Dubh, at Dunlichty, is a small peaty pool entirely 
surrounded with coniferous forest. It is of no particular botanical 
interest. 
