1910] The Ottawa Naturalist. 47 



this habitat is very interesting. On the border of Lake St. Clair, 

 along the several mouths of St. Clair River and on the Delta 

 Islands are bogs, coves, small bays and large areas of shallow 

 and apparently stagnant and still water. These are the homes 

 of the pondweeds (Potamogetons), no less than 27 species or 

 forms having been noticed. In many places on the borders of 

 Lake St. Clair and the mouths of St. Clair River, and extending 

 out soine distance into the water, the rush, Scirpus occidentalis , 

 is so dense that it is difhcult to row a sinall boat through it. 

 With it will often be found an abundance of Equisetum fluviatile. 

 Nearer the shore, sometimes however in shallow water, or in 

 ver^ wet places, Scirpus validus, S. heterochaetus , Sparganiuni 

 eurycarpum and Bidens beckii are abundant. In coves and .still 

 water the pickerel-weed, Ahijas flexilis, water shield, Nymphaea 

 advena, and Castalia tuberosa. are verv frequent, and Eleocharis 

 quadrangtdata, occasional. In verv wet places, and often as it 

 appears in the beds of old but now mostly discontinued streams, 

 the reed, Phragmites coinmunis , is abundant and very striking 

 in appearance when in bloom. The renowned Indian rice, 

 Zizania aquatic a and Vallisneria spiralis, known among sports- 

 inen as wild celery, and both said to furnish much food for ducks, 

 are found, the former plentiful in spots, the latter common 

 everywhere^ Another plant, Sagittaria latifolia, whose root or 

 rootstock is said to furnish food for ducks and swan, and some- 

 times known as swan-root, is common in mud and shallow water. 

 The advent of the white man is gradually bringing about per- 

 manent changes among both our wild animals and plants. 

 Notwithstanding the modern humane laws for the protection 

 of game, and the fact that it is naturally one of the finest feeding 

 grounds, the nvimber of water birds now visiting the once famous 

 shooting grounds of the "St. ClairilFlats " has much diminished 

 in comparison with former times. *'^ Proximity of cities and dense 

 populations also tend greatly to^dcstroy all wild'^plantsTwith 

 beautiful flowers. About twenty years ago, Sarnia^Bay, a piece 

 of still water lying on the east side of St. Clair'Riverr'between'the 

 cities of Sarnia, Ontario, and Port^Huron, Michigan, was noted 

 for its great abundance of thefwhite water lily, Castalia tuberosa. 

 Constant gathering by the people of both cities'^'and the closing 

 up of the bay by lumber companies, has about' extinguished it. 

 North-east of Sarnia, but a few years ago, there were large 

 tamarack swamps, and a few smaller ones were noticed in other 

 localities. Since then a complete change has taken place. ^A few 

 trees only skirt the borders of the few swamps now' left. Some 

 fine meadows, cultivated fields of corn, other' grains, andfsome- 

 times celery, have taken their places. Formerly on the' borders 

 of these swamps and among the trees, the pitcher plant was 



