SKENE, lake, 10 miles north-east of Moffat, Dumfriesshire. It measures nearly a mile by about J mile ; has a surface elevation of about 1000 feet above sea-level ; is overhung by rugged lofty masses of the Southern Highlands ; and emits the stream-let which forms the profound cascade of Grey Mare's Tail.
SKEOCH, hill, with extensive view, in Tarbolton parish, Ayrshire.
SKEOCH, moorland hill, notable in history of the Covenanters, in Kirkpatrick-Irongray parish, Kirkcudbrightshire.
SKEOK, site of ancient chapel, 1 mile north-east of Bannockburn, Stirlingshire.
SKEOTISVAY, islet in East Loch Tarbert, between Harris and Lewis-proper, Outer Hebrides.
SKERNISH, headland in Kilmuir parish, Isle of Skye.
SKERRAY, hamlet in Tongue parish, Sutherland. It has a post office under Thurso, and a public school.
SKERRIES, each of numerous groups of rocky islets, or insulated rocks, oft' many parts of Scottish coasts, specially in Shetland, Orkney, and Hebrides.
SKERRIES (OUT).
SKERRINGTON, mineral-field near Kilmarnock, Ayrshire.
SKERROW, lake in Girthon parish, Kirkcudbrightshire.
SKERRYVORE, insulated rock, 11 miles south-west-by-south of southern extremity of Tyree Island, Inner Hebrides. It lies within a dangerous reef about 10 miles long, and has a lighthouse of 1844, with revolving light visible at the distance of 18J nautical miles. Pop. 3.
SKERVUILE, island near southern entrance to Jura Sound, Argyleshire. It has a lighthouse with revolving light visible at the distance of 14 nautical miles.
SKETEWEN, hamlet near the Tay, be-tween Balnaguard and Grandtully, Perthshire.
SKETRAW, fishing village, 5 miles north-north-east of Stone-haven, Kincardineshire. Pop. 308.
SKEULAN, well, held in superstitious veneration, in Aboyne parish, Aberdeenshire.
SKIACH, rivulet, running about 8 miles north-eastward to Cromarty Firth near Kiltearn church, Ross-shire.
SKIACH, two small lakes, Skiach and Little Skiach, in Little Dunkeld parish, Perthshire.
SKIANID, viUage in Tongue parish, Sutherland.
SKIBA, place, 2| miles north of Port-Charlotte, Islay Island, Argyleshire.
SKIBBA, boat harboxir in Birsay parish, Orkney.
SKIBO, seat and hill-ridge in Dornoch parish, Sutherland. The seat is called Skibo Castle ; and an ancient edifice of the same name stood on or near the site, was the residence of the Bishops of Sutherland and Caithness, and was demolished in last century.
SKILMONY, hill in Methlick parish, Aberdeenshire.
SKILTIEMUIR, village in Cockpen parish, Edinburghshire.
SKIMMER, hills in Salton parish, Haddingtonshire.
SKINFLATS, village in Bothkennar parish, Stirlingshire. Pop. 395.
SKINNET, ancient parish, now part of Halkirk, Caithness. Remains of its church still exist.
SKINSDALE, rivulet and vale, descending about 9 miles southward to the Brora, in dyne parish, Sutherland.
SKIPNESS, headland, ancient castle, bay, fishing village, and parish in Kintyre, Argyleshire. 'The headland flanks south side of entrance of Loch Fyne, and is 4 miles north-north-west of northern extremity of Arran. The castle crowns the headland, forms an open square of 450 feet, and has walls 7 feet thick and 35 feet high, with 3 small towers. The bay lies immediately south of the head-land, and receives a rivulet of 5 miles in length of course. The village stands at the bay's head, and has a post office under Greenock, an inn, and a quay. The parish is ancient, was annexed to Saddell, and is now separate quoad sacra. The church and a public school are at Clonaig. Pop. of the quoad sacra parish, 470.
SKIPORT, sea-loch in northern part of east coast of South Uist Island, Outer Hebrides. It penetrates about 4 miles westward, is much ramified, includes good harbourage, and connects, at its head, with branches of a sea-loch striking south-westward from north-west coast.
SKIRLING, village and parish on west border of Peeblesshire. The village stands 2J miles north-east of Biggar, and has a post office under Biggar, Established and Free churches, and a public school. The parish measures 3| miles by 1J, and comprises 3423 acres. Real property in 1880-81, 3683. Pop. 274. The surface lies at considerable elevation above sea-level, and is uneven and partly rolling. Skirling Castle belonged to the Cockburns, became obnoxious for partisanship with Queen Mary, and was demolished by order of the Regent Moray.
SKIRMISHFIELD, scene of fierce Border conflict in 1526 in western vicinity of Blelrose, Roxburghshire.
SKIRSA, headland, 3 miles south of Duncansby Head, Caithness.
SKREEL, lofty hill, with rich extensive view, in Kelton parish, Kirkcudbrightshire.
SKYE, island and district in west of Inverness-shire. The island is a very prominent one of Inner Hebrides ; extends from a point opposite Arasaig in Inverness-shire mainland to a point opposite Loch Torridon in Ross-shire ; is separated from Inverness-shire mainland by Sound of Sleat, from Ross-shire partly by mouth of Loch Alsh, mainly by a band of sea from 9 to 17 miles wide ; lies so near mainland as to appear to be interlocked with it in part of Sound of Sleat and round the mouth of Loch Alsh; has an exceedingly irregular outline, such as to make it, in large degree, an assemblage of peninsulas ; measures 47 miles in length from south-east to north-west, and mostly from 7 to 25 miles in breadth, but with contractions to 4 miles and less ; is so intersected by long and numerous sea-lochs as to contain no point farther than 3J miles from some shore ; presents to the sea many bold high head-lands, and some extensive reaches of grand lofty cliff ; includes on its coasts and within its sea-lochs a remarkable amount of very imposing scenery ; and, while com-prising some aggregate of arable plain and large aggregate of pastoral hill, consists principally of bleak high moors and wild lofty mountains. The chief sea-lochs are Sligachan, Portree, Snizort, Dunvegan, Bracadale, Scavaig, and Eishart. Chief ranges of coast-cliff are northward from mouth of Portree, and eastward from mouth of Loch Bracadale. Striking natural features are Loch Staffin on north-east coast, the Quiraing west of Loch Staffin, mountain screens around fresh-water Lake Coruisk near head of Loch Scavaig, and Spar Cave on south-east coast. Chief mountains are the Storr, 7 miles north of Portree, summits overhanging Loch Portree, and preeminently the Cuchullins and Blabhein to the north of Loch Scavaig. Streams are numerous, but all small, and mostly subject to become voluminous torrents in time of rains. The rocks form a study to geologists, and those of the Cuchullins are so predominantly syenitic and hypersthenic as to present a very bare and dark appearance. Portree is the capital, but would in a lowland county be regarded as only a very small town ; and the other chief seats of population are either very small villages or mere hamlets. Principal antiquities are cairns, pristine forts, watch-towers, and mediaeval castles. Pop. of the island, 16,795. The district comprehends also Raasay, Scalpa, Rona, and some smaller islands, all near Skye.
