[Footnote 34: Since writing the above I understand that the natural basin of Lochspouts is about to be converted into a reservoir for supplying the town of Maybole with water, and that, in order to make it suitable for this purpose, according to the engineer's report, it will be necessary to clear away the whole of the lake sediment, including the crannog, at an expense of some £900. As no explorations directed from an archæological point of view could be more satisfactory than these contemplated operations, we may expect, in the course of their execution, to find not only additional relics that may have dropped into the surrounding lake, but to secure absolute accuracy regarding several doubtful points, such as the dimensions and mode of structure of the island, etc. See Appendix.] [Footnote 35: In the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy I noticed several knives precisely similar to those here figured, which were found on the crannog of Ballinderry.] [Footnote 36: J. Romilly Allen, Esq., C.E., F.S.A. Scot., who first recognised this object as part of an ancient padlock, is presently preparing a paper on barbed locks, with special reference to their presence in crannogs, which will be read at an early meeting of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Meantime he writes as follows:--"Padlocks with barbed bolts are almost the only kind used all over China and India at the present day, and it is only reasonable to suppose that they are of Eastern origin. They have been found in England in connection with Roman remains (see paper on Locks found at Great Chesterfield, Essex, by the Hon. R. Cornwallis Neville, _Archæolog. Journal_, vol. xiii. p. 7); and I think it probable they were introduced into this country by the Romans. Their use in this country continued to mediæval times, after which they disappeared before improved locks of more modern construction."]