

KY 2. Murphy's Pond. Acreage: About 1000. 



Location: Hickman County; Dublin Quadrangle; 3 miles S of Beulah; reached 

 via Rt. 307. 



Description: The main pond of about 40 acres probably dates from the New 

 Madrid earthquake of 1812. Fifteen acres are virgin bald cypress, the remainder 

 were cut over 30 years ago. An egret rookery and an unusual concentration of 

 reptiles and amphibians are found. The density of the cottonmouth is especially 

 noteworthy. Buttonbush, willows, and roses are the dominant shrubs around the 

 pond and herbaceous species are exceedingly abundant making a 3-ft high 

 thicket. 



References: Barbour, R. W. 1956. A study of the Cottonmouth, Ancistrodon 

 piscivorus leucostoma Troost, in Kentucky. Trans. Ky. Acad. Sci. 17( 1 ):33-41. 



Encroachments: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has plans to dredge Obion 

 Creek, within 0.5 mile of the pond. This might drain the pond. 



Ownership: TNC owns 235 acres. The remainder is private. 



Data source: Robert A. Kuehne and Dr. Roger W. Barbour, Department of 

 Zoology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky. 40506; F. H. Dibble, 320 

 Woodlawn, Murray, Ky. 42071; William H. Casey, 1409 Forbes Rd., Lexington, 

 Ky. 40505; TNC, 1800 North Kent St., Suite 800, Arlington, Va. 22209. 



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