OLD ROADS TO A NEW ISLAND 



17 



When the lake was full, many animals found 

 themselves stranded on hilltops that now were 

 islands in the lake, and there they were obliged 

 to stay, as securely penned in as the bears in 

 zoological gardens. 



The largest of these islands (Fig. 6) that once 

 was a hill is almost in the middle of Gatun Lake, 



Courtesy of U. S. Air Service 



Fig. 6. Barro Colorado Island from an airplane 



easily seen on the map of the Canal and passed by 

 every ship that steams through (Fig. 7) . There are 

 about six square miles of it, covered with heavy 

 forest and as well stocked with animals fleeing 

 from the water as a tropical Noah's Ark. 



In 1923 the governor of the Canal Zone decided 

 that this island should be set aside for a forest 

 preserve. It is known as Barro Colorado, which 



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