As mentioned at page 182, the selection of the natural basin of Lochspouts as the most suitable site for a reservoir for supplying the town of Maybole with water had been announced shortly after the excavation of the crannog (as far as was then possible without an expensive cutting to reduce the level of the lake) had been completed. In the course of the subsequent negotiations with the proprietor and his agents, which ended in the final adoption of this scheme, we have another proof of the interest taken by Sir James Fergusson, Bart., in these antiquarian researches. The following extract, taken from the contractor's specification for the work to be done within this lake-basin, preparatory to its conversion into the proposed reservoir, requires no explanation:--"After the water in the present loch has been lowered, the bottom of the reservoir, to the extent to be pointed out, to be excavated to a depth of about 3 feet, or to such further depth as the engineer may consider it necessary, to remove the peat and other matters. At the site of the supposed lake-dwelling, the excavations to be so conducted that the structure of the dwelling may be left entire, until such time as it is thoroughly explored by a member or members of the Archæological Society of Ayrshire and Wigtownshire, or such person appointed by them or by Sir James Fergusson, Bart., of Kilkerran, to see this exploration carried out. Any relics that may be found during the excavation to be at once delivered to the party appointed to superintend the exploration, or to such other person as may be in charge in his absence." Just as the proof-sheets of my last chapter had come to hand, I received a note from Mr. William Henderson, C.E., engineer to the Maybole water-works, stating that the outlet at Lochspouts had been cut about 3 feet deeper, that the water was being drained off, and that the contractor was ready to begin the excavations on the site of the lake-dwelling. In anticipation that the result of these operations would furnish a satisfactory solution of some of the problems left undetermined in my previous report, the publication of this volume has been delayed for a few days in order to secure the desired information, and hence I am enabled to give the following short report of the additional discoveries made on this lake-dwelling.