Moray or Elginshire

MORAY or ELGINSHIRE (Gaelic "among the sea-board men"), northern county, Scotland, bounded north by the Moray firth, east and south-east by Banffshire, south and south-west by Inverness and west by Nairnshire. It comprises only the eastern portion of the ancient province of Moray, which extended from the Spey to the Beauly and from the Grampians to the sea, embracing an area of about 3,90o sq. miles. The area of the county excluding water, is 477 sq.m. (305931 acres). The county is divided between lowland and hill country. The lowland of the coast and its hinterland is the Laigh of Moray, a fertile tract 3o m. long and 5 to 12 M. broad, of old red sandstone and Triassic strata, with a wide distribution of glacial deposits, which were carried from the heights in an easterly and south-easterly direction along the present Moray firth. The sandstones at and near Quarry Wood are of special geological interest on account of their remarkable series of reptilian remains, which date them, at least in part, as Triassic, and possibly, in the lowest portion as Permian. The hilly south-central division of the county reaches a greatest height of 2,329 ft. in the Cromdale hills on the Banffshire border. This division belongs to the area of the crystalline schists of the central highlands, with granite between Lochindorb and Grantown. The two most important rivers, the Spey (q.v.) and the Findhorn, have their sources in Inverness shire. About 5o m. of the course of the Spey are in Moray, to which it may be roughly said to serve as the boundary line on the south-east and east. The Findhorn rises in the Monadliadh mountains which form the watershed for several miles between it and the Spey. Of its total course of nearly 70 m. only the last 12 are in the county, before it enters the Moray firth in a bay on the north-eastern shore to which it has given its name. The Lossie rises in the small lakes on the flanks of Cam Kitty and pursues a winding course of 34 m. to the Moray firth. The Spey and Findhorn are famous for salmon, and some of the smaller streams afford good sport.

Lochindorb, 6 m. north-north-west of Grantown, is now the largest lake. In the upper end, on an island believed to be arti ficial, stand the ruins of Lochindorb castle, in the 14th century the stronghold of the Wolf of Badenoch, and afterwards success ively the property of the earl of Moray, the Campbells of Cawdor and the earl of Seafield. In the southern half of the county are several fine glens, including Rothes, Lossie, Gheallaidh, Tulchan and Beag. Strathspey is a broader and beautiful valley.

Agriculture.

Considering its latitude and the extent of its arable land the standard of farming in Moray is high. The rich soil of the lowlands is well adapted for oats and barley. The breeding of live-stock is profitable, and some of the finest speci mens of shorthorned and polled cattle and of crosses between the two are bred. On the larger farms in the Laigh Leicester sheep are kept all the year round, but in the uplands the Black faced take their place. Horses and pigs are also raised.

Other Industries.

Whisky is the chief product. There are woollen mills, distilleries, sawmills and iron foundries at Elgin; woollen mills, distilleries and chemical works at Forres; and distilleries at Rothes. Owing to the absence of coal, what little mineral wealth there is (iron and lead) cannot be remuneratively worked. The sandstone quarries, yielding a building-stone of superior quality, are practically inexhaustible. The plantations mainly consist of larch and fir and, to a smaller extent, of oak. The Firth fisheries, comprising haddock, cod, herring, etc., are of considerable value.

Population and Government.

The population was 40,805 in 1931, when 532 persons spoke both Gaelic and English. The chief towns are Elgin (pop. in 1931, 8,810), Forres (4,169) and Lossiemouth (3,914), to which may be added Rothes (1,292), Grantown-on-Spey (1,577) and Burghead (1,255). In conjunc tion with Nairnshire the county returns one member to parliament.