206 THE FRESH-WATER LOCHS OF SCOTLAND 
Loch a' Chlachain is 684 feet above sea-level. The surrounding 
country is extremely wild and rocky. The water is clear, owing to 
the fact that the area of peat drained by it is comparatively small. 
This loch drains Loch Dun na Seilcheig, which in turn drains Loch 
Ceo-Glas. The whole catchment area of these lochs consists largely of 
bare rock, covered in many places with enormous patches of Arcto- 
staphylos Uva-Ursi. Heather and peat are often restricted to the 
interstices between the bare boulders ; consequently the water of these 
lakes is unusually clear, but doubtless very poor in plant food-salts. 
The rock-bound shore of Loch a' Chlachain is not conducive to a 
littoral flora ; plants are consequently scarce excepting at the west 
end, where the shore is flat owing to detrital matter deposited 
by the affluent. This part is covered with marsh vegetation, which, 
like that in the water, consists only of the common types found 
throughout this Area. 
Loch Dun na Seilcheig is one of the largest lochs in the Ness 
Area. It is a magnificent sheet of water 3 J miles long by one 
mile wide, and is 703 feet above sea-level. Nothing was seen here 
save such plants as are common throughout the Area. 
Loch nan Gead'as is a small pool at the south-west end of Loch 
Dun na Seilcheig, and is joined to it by a narrow channel which has 
wide, marshy flats on either side. This loch is more or less surrounded 
by a swamp, which bears an abundant vegetation. From the land 
towards the water there are zones of the following plants : — Myrica 
Gale, Comarum palustre, Carex rostrata, Equisetum limosum, and 
Castalia speciosa, besides which there are a number of other ordinary 
plants. 
Loch C^O-Glas is a long, narrow loch 763 feet above sea- level, and 
situated below Tom Bailgeann. The south-east shore has colonies of 
Carex rostrata and Phragmites communis in sheltered bays. The 
north-west shore is bare and stony. At the south-west end there is an 
extensive marsh, covered with Equisetum limosum, Carex rostrata, etc. 
Lochan a' Choin is a small loch in a partially cultivated district. 
The water is peaty. The western shore is flat, consisting of muddy 
peat, and is overgrown with a considerable amount of vegetation, 
which presents the usual features of the district. The eastern shore is 
stony and bare of plants. 
Lochan nan eun Ruadha is near the last-mentioned, but is much 
larger and is very bare of plants. The south-west side has deep water 
quite up to the thick peat bank, so that there is no shore whatever. 
The eastern and northern portions have a shore of stones and rocks, 
and a very sparse vegetation. The western side has a marshy area, 
which is chiefly occupied by groups of Phragmites communis. 
Loch Ruthven is a fine sheet of water some two miles long and 
