THE BRINE SHRIMP OF GREAT SALT LAKE. 23 



eggs hatched readily in twenty-four hours, but the nauplii lived 

 only from one to three days. However transferring nauplii 

 from i to solutions 2 to 6 inclusive brought good results. In 

 solutions 2 to 6 the nauplii, hatched in the order stated above, 

 lived and developed rapidly to maturity. Young and adult 

 Artemia transferred to solutions 8 and 9 from less dense solutions 

 died within five to ten hours, the young dying first. Those put 

 into solution 7 developed slowly, while those placed into solutions 

 2 to 6 developed quite normally. Solutions 3, 4 and 5 however 

 seemed to be the most favorable for the growth of Artemia. 

 They would also develop normally when transferred among any 

 of the solutions 2 to 6 inclusive. 



Artemia is often found in great numbers. Fremont in writing 

 of his explorations of the lake speaks of windrows of the brine 

 shrimp and the pupa cases of insects w r ashed upon shore. 

 Talmage states having seen the surface of the water tinted by 

 them and also of having gathered with a tow-net a quart within 

 a few minutes. Indians inhabiting this region used to collect 

 large quantities of the crustacean along with insect larvae which 

 they dried and used as food. 



The brine shrimp is a vegetable feeder. Near shore may be 

 seen many masses of an alga, Aphanothece, and it is along with 

 this that Artemia is most abundant. This alga and its gelatinous 

 secretion forms the principal food for the phyllopods as shown 

 by the fact that they may be seen feeding upon it, and it can 

 also be demonstrated in their digestive tracts. In fact this alga 

 seems to be their only food. 



Artemia gracilis is chiefly a littoral form, since in this zone 

 its food is most abundant. However these crustaceans have 

 been observed by Talmage in great swarms far out in the lake 

 where they were carried by winds unless they have swarming or 

 migratory habits. 



There is a very disagreeable odor encountered upon approach- 

 ing the shores of Great Salt Lake at certain places. This stench 

 has been attributed to the decomposition of the brine shrimp. 

 The odor is at times very offensive, which, by some, is thought 

 to be dangerous, and as a result the summer resorts of the lake 

 are not visited by many people who would otherwise enjoy them. 



