Upon my first visit to Lochspouts, I was struck with the smallness of its dimensions; its superficies, according to measurements kindly made by Mr. Brown, clerk to Mr. Baxter, being only 2 acres. Its margin, and indeed its whole area, were thickly covered with long grasses and rushes. On its north side, near the middle portion of the rocky ridge, and a little to the west of the outlet, lay the remains of the crannog, a low circular mound overgrown with coarse grass, and so close to the present margin of the lake that it formed a peninsula easily approached by _terra firma_. I understand, however, that when Mr. Cochran-Patrick visited it in the previous October, the neck of land, now dry, was so soft and boggy that it was with difficulty he got across to the mound. These observations will be more clearly comprehended by a reference to the accompanying sketch (Frontispiece), taken by a young artist, Mr. J. Lawson, when the explorations were nearly completed. The view is looking northwards. In the foreground are the marshy loch and crannog (the overlying mound being now nearly cleared away), then the rocky ridge extending right and left, behind which is the open valley, with the hill Culdoon, and monument to the late Sir Charles Dalrymple Fergusson in the distance. Along this ridge are seen several hollows, which are supposed to have been formerly outlets; the original or primary one being at the extreme right, while about the middle, and almost in a line with the crannog, is the artificial cutting which forms the present outlet. Previous to my visit there were no piles detected on the mound, but after a considerable amount of searching the tops of one or two were observed on its east side, at the bottom of a sluggish channel kept open by the surplus water making its way to the outlet. Guided by these indications and a few trials with the spade, the tops of others were exposed, so that in a short time half the circle was thus traced. After due deliberation, in consultation with Mr. Baxter, who, on behalf of the proprietor, supplied the men and the labouring materials, it was agreed that the only exploration that could then be made, without further cutting of the rock (an undertaking which would involve a large amount of expense), was to clear away the entire mound down to the level of the water. Accordingly, the men were directed to make a broad trench, running east and west, the stuff from which was to be removed in layers, so as to localise, as far as possible, any remains that might be found. When this was finished, another similar trench was made at right angles to the former, after which the four remaining angular portions were removed. In the course of these excavations the following facts regarding the structure and surroundings of the crannog were ascertained:--