;o8 



POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



which occupied the hasin of Great Salt Lake. The total length of Lake 

 Lahonton from north to south was not far from 250 miles, with a width 

 from east to west of 180 miles. Its area was more than 8,000 square 

 miles. It was an exceedingly irregular lake, however, for it was broken 

 up by mountain ranges into many long and narrow arms, with deep bays 

 and long peninsulas. At the time of its greatest expansion it still had 

 no outlet, although one arm reached far westward into Honey Lake val- 

 ley, < iilil'ornia, and another one extended into southern Oregon. 



As time passed on and precipitation decreased, the supplying streams 

 became smaller and the lake began to shrink. The basins which had 

 been connected at high water again were separated and so there at last 

 resulted the conditions of the present dav. Many of the lakes are still 





Fig. 3. Terraces of Lake Lahonton, North of Pyramid Lake. 



shrinking, and it is difficult to tell how much of the ancient lake will 

 eventually remain. Walker Lake, Carson Lake, Humboldt, Honey and 

 Pyramid lakes are the remnants of the once far-reaching Lake Lahonton. 

 The great valleys which the lake left bare are now among the most arid 

 portions of Nevada. Notable among these is the Black Rock desert, 

 where for many miles, and in some directions as far as tbe eye can 

 reach, the barren clay floor of the old lake stretches away. 



A- the waters of Lake Lahonton receded they did so by stages 

 and at every stopping-place left a well marked beach. These old beach 

 terraces are among tbe most striking features of this region. One may 



