1909-10.] 
Flora of Scottish Lakes. 
157 
lacustris, not abundant ; Nitella opaca, Callitriclie autumnalis, and Myrio- 
phyllum spicatum, all very abundant ; Potamogeton pusillus, P. perfoliatus, 
and Polygonum amphibium, not abundant. All the following were com- 
paratively scarce : — Carex rostrata, C. Goodenovii, C. disticha, C. flava, 
Caltlia palustris, Mentha sativa, M. aquatica, Juncus acutiflorus, J. effusus, 
J. conglomerate, Phalaris arundinacea, Spiraea Ulmaria, and Ranunculus 
Flammula. Bryophytes were very scarce. 
Kinghorn Loch is a rectangular sheet of water about 1 mile across, 
situated a mile west of the village of Kinghorn, at an elevation of 204 feet 
above sea level. The water, which has a maximum depth of 38 feet, is not 
peaty, but turbid and dead-looking. The west shore, upon which there are 
a few willow trees, is flat and boggy, and its vegetation merges into that of 
the adjoining meadow, this being the only side of the loch where there is 
any development of marsh plants. A public road adjoining the south side 
is shut off from the loch by a wall and a row of bushes, below which a few 
marsh plants may be found, but there is practically no shore, except in a dry 
season when the water has fallen. The east shore is composed of dirty 
sand or gravel, with stretches of bare volcanic rocks. At the north side 
either meadow-land or a wall adjoins the water, without the intervention 
of a shore. 
In early summer the water contains a vast quantity of Anabaena Flos- 
aquae, var. circinalis, which so discolours the water in some parts, in ac- 
cordance with the direction of the wind, that it has the appearance of pale 
green paint. A number of perch, which, I suppose, were killed by the 
Anabaena, were strewn about the shore. The exact action of this alga upon 
the fish is not known, but it is usually thought that it clogs the gills, 
although there may be poisonous properties as well, several species of 
Myxophyceae being known to be baneful to horses and cattle that drink 
water containing them. 
The west side of the loch is overgrown with an association of Poly- 
gonum amphibium, that extends from the marshy ground outwards until 
the water is 6 or 7 feet deep, which is an unusual depth for this plant to 
flourish in. On drier parts of the bog terrestrial forms of Ranunculus peltatus 
and R. Drouetii cover a considerable tract, mingling with the Polygonum 
on the one hand, and with the grass of the meadow on the other. I have 
not seen these plants growing in terrestrial form to such an extent elsewhere. 
The following marsh plants also occur, but more or less scattered, as there 
are no large associations ; and it will be noticed that while a number of 
uncommon plants grow at this loch, some of the usual ones are absent : — 
Equisetum limosum and its var. fluviatile, Sparganium ramosum, Heleo- 
