FLORA OF SCOTTISH LAKES 
211 
About six miles to the south-east of Fort Augustus, between 
the mountains of Carn a' Chuihnn and Cairn Vangie, is an extensive 
plateau some 2200 feet above sea- level, wild and desolate in the 
extreme, and known locally under the sobriquet of " Siberia." Upon 
this plateau there are about twenty lochs, which are probably the 
highest series of lochs in the British Islands. Their shores are 
mostly rocky and stony, their water is invariably peaty, and not 
only their shores but the whole plateau is entirely devoid of trees. 
The terrestrial vegetation of this district is of the moorland type, 
Calluna and grass-like plants dominating. Where littoral marsh 
occurs, it is always on the western side of the lochs or in sheltered 
bays. Carex rostrata grows most luxuriantly — in fact, the largest 
specimens I have seen of this species were at these lochs. Equisetum 
limosum also grows well in some of the lochs ; but I have observed 
that when growing near the Carex rostrata associations they scarcely 
grow taller than the latter, whereas in the lowlands they grow twice 
as high, or even more. These two species usually grow near one 
another at the margins of the lochs, the Carex always being next the 
land. Now, as they only grow on the western sides of the lochs, the 
Carex is of course always to the windward of the Equisetum, which 
is thereby sheltered from the prevailing wind. I think that is the 
reason for the latter not overtopping the former, because the 
desiccating action of the wind at this elevation must be considerable, 
and its effect would be much greater upon the growing apex of the 
Equisetum than upon the leaves of the Carex. No boat being 
available, I could not obtain evidence regarding the bottom flora of 
these lochs, beyond what I could glean from their margins ; but the 
following plants were found, some of them being dwarfed : — Littorella 
lacustris. Lobelia Dortmanna, Isoetes lacustris, Fontinalis antipyretica, 
Chara fragilis, vars., Juncus fluitans, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, 
Callitriche hamulata, Utricularia intermedia, Sparganium minimum, 
Potamogeton polygonifolius, P. natans, Equisetum limosum, Carex 
rostrata, C. Goodenovii, C. aquatilis, Eriophorum vaginatum, E. 
polystachion, Caltha palustris, and Ranunculus FTammula. Wet 
and submerged rocks were often covered with Scapania undulata, 
Nardia compressa, Blindia acuta, etc. Species of Sphagnum abound 
on boggy shores. In sheltered places Batrachospermum moniliforme, 
Zygnema Vaucherii, etc., are plentiful. Armeria maritima grows 
upon some of the littoral rocks. A few of the lochs have islands, and 
these are sometimes occupied by colonies of gulls, which breed there. 
Area II 
The island of Lismore is situated in the entrance to Loch Linnhe, 
off" the coast of Argyllshire; it is 10 miles long by 1^ miles broad at 
