192 
The Flora of a Montana Pond. 
R. S. WILLIAMS. 
A few miles from Great Falls, near the middle of a low flat 
extending out from the valley of Sand Coulee, is a slight circular 
depression in the clayey soil, perhaps two hundred yards across. 
In rainy seasons this is filled with water to a depth of three or 
four feet in the center, gradually diminishing in depth toward the 
edges. It is entirely without springs and has no particular inlet 
or outlet. Last season, after having been dry and almost without 
sign of vegetable life for a year or more, it was filled with water, 
and the following notes relate to the abundant vegetation that 
sprang up from a seemingly lifeless clay-bed. Reference also 
will be made to the plants observed on the surrounding prairie, 
within a distance of a few hundred yards of the water, but 
the observations, relating to the latter part of August, do not in- 
clude, of course, many noticeable species of the spring and early 
summer. 
The most abundant grass of the vicinity was Agropyrum glau- 
cum, of a growth sufficient to make an excellent hay crop. 
Mingled with this, and occasionally the more abundant of the 
two, was found Alopecurus Californicus. This is a western 
Species, and was determined by Dr. Vasey, who remarked that 
he had not before received it from any point so far to the east- 
ward. Dead culms of this A/opecurus that had matured seed im 
June were standing on the same plants beside the still green, but 
ripening culms of a second growth. Bouteloua oligostachya was 
common as elsewhere, often being the principal grass on any 
slight knoll or hillside. The only other grass observed was 
Schedonnardus Texanus. It occurred mostly in separate areas 
in rather compact patches a foot or so across, and although 
growth had ceased for some time it was perhaps more noticeable 
than earlier, owing to the dry, whitish appearance of the slender, 
ate culms that stood out in all directions in an intricate net- 
work, 
Mingled with these grasses were a few composites in bloom, 
the most conspicuous being Grindelia squarrosa, Aster commu- 
fatus and Helianthus annuus. Gutierresia Euthamia, growing 
almost everywhere, was scarcely yet in flower, not being in full 
