INVERNESS-SHIRE, Scotland, the lar gest county of the kingdom, includes Badenoch, Glenroy, and the valley of the Spey on the east, Lochaber on the south, Glenelg, Glen Garry, Arisaig. Moydart and Frazers County on the west, Glen Urquhart and Glen Morriston to ward the centre. It includes also Strathglass on the north; and several of the western is lands, viz. Skye, Harris, North and South Uist, and Barra, Eigg, etc. The mainland por tion is bounded on the east by Aberdeen Banff, Elgin and Nairn, west by the Atlantic and Ross, north by Ross and Cromarty and south by Perth and Argyll. Its area is 4,211 square miles, of which more than two-thirds consist of barren heath. The wildest and most moun tainous portion s toward the west, comprising a tract 70 miles in extent, designated the •Rough Bounds.° The most extensive moss in Great Britain lies on the south of Badenoch, where, in the naturally formed wooded islands, large herds of deer find a refuge. The natural pines occupy a larger space than in any other county of Britain. Some mountains attain considerable
height. Ben Nevis is 4,406 feet above sea-level and Cairngorm is over 4,000. The geological formation is various; but primary rocks con sisting of gneiss, mica-slate, granite, porphyry, and trap rocks prevail. The most fertile soil of the county rests on the red sandstone in the valley of the Aird, and between the county town and Beauly. There are several lakes, as Loch Ness, Loch Lochy, Loch Laggan, Loch Ericht, etc. The principal rivers are the Spey, Lochy, Beauly, Findhorn, Nairn, Ness, Garry, Mor riston and the Foyers. The land belongs to about 80 or 90 proprietors. The battle which decided the fate of the Stuarts was fought 16 April 1746 on Culloden Moor, a few miles from Inverness. The Gaelic language is spoken generally. Inverness is the only town. Pop. 87,270. Consult Lees,C., 'History of the County of Inverness' (Edinburg 1897).