EFFECT OF DROUGHT UPON ANIMAL LIFE. 467 



instance of the effects of the drought was to be seen in a small 

 stream known as Pond Run. This is fed by scattered springs ; is 

 a stream of perhaps an average depth of six inches and a width 

 of two or three feet. Sudden dashes of rain swell the volume of 

 waters, but this accession is as rapidly run off. In ordinary 

 summers the volume is reduced to considerably below the esti- 

 mated average measurements, but the stream has not before been 

 known to be absolutely dry throughout its course. For a period 

 of five weeks the water from the springs along its valley were in- 

 suflicient to give it running water, and in many cases there was no 

 perceptible moisture at the fountain heads. As the water gradu- 

 ally disappeared, that portion of the stream's fauna dependent 

 wholly upon moisture, as fish, turtles, and batrachians, collected 

 in the pools, particularly those beneath bridges, and there by over- 

 crowding soon poisoned the water to which no fresh supply was 

 being added. It might be asked why these animals, except the 

 fish, did not seek other and healthier localities, but the reason is 

 plain. Everywhere about them was an arid region exposed to a 

 tropical temperature into which they did not dare to venture. 

 Again, while lingering in the pest holes into which they had 

 gathered, they had gradually undermined their strength and were 

 too weak to travel when, if ever, it occurred to them to do so. 



And now back to the meadows. The last general migratory 

 movement was to the tide-water flats, and here, of course, the 

 moisture and vegetation were unaffected, and I have never seen 

 so crowded a condition as that in which were many of the streams 

 that were never quite dry at even the lowest stage of the tide. 

 The carnivorous fishes waxed fat, for there was an available 

 minnow ever in front of every pike, perch, and bass ; and the 

 grasshoppers driven to the creek banks, where alone there was 

 green herbage, were continually leaping into the stream, and 

 were snapped up before they could reach the opposite shore. 

 There was here, however, not such an accession of batrachian life, 

 frogs in particular, as might have been expected, and I failed to 

 notice any undue number of the mud minnow {Umibra linii). 

 This fact led me to make a few examinations of the parched or 

 semi-desiccated areas. I found in two locations, that I had never 

 before known to become dry, that frogs, of three species, and the 

 mud minnow had buried themselves where there still remained 

 moisture, but with a crust of dry earth above it. These frogs and 

 fish were like hibernating animals when exhumed i. e., soundly 

 asleep, rather than dead, and all slowly revived when placed in 

 clear, cool water. I estimated that they had been in their cramped 

 quarters for at least three weeks. Two weeks later, I hunted for 

 others but failed to find them ; but the day after the first pro- 

 longed rain I found the mud minnows in their usual abundance 



