138 



THE SALTON SEA. 



into the lake by the current of the Alamo River, which formed a deposit on the strands 

 laid bare in this part of the lake, when visited in September 1911. In October 1912 Alri- 

 plex lentiformis, Pluchea sericea, Baccharis glutinosa, Heliotropium, and Spirostachys were 

 present, the last-named in abundance. 



The detail given again exemplifies the fact that depletion of the ranks of the original 

 invaders follows quickly on the gentler alkaline slopes, while on the steep gravelly and 

 sandy beaches the number of species soon increases. Thus the original census of the strand 

 of 1911 at Travertine Terraces included only one species, presumably by reason of delayed 

 germinations. 



Fio. 3. — Curves showing changing level of Salton Sea, 1905-1912. with estimated inflow of 

 water through Alamo and New Rivers. (After H. T. Cory.) 



RECESSION OF 1913. 



The only examinations of the strands of 1913 which were made previous to the com- 

 pletion of the manuscript of this book were devoted to the emersions at Travertine Terraces. 

 On February 8 the water was standing at the foot of a bank from 20 to 30 inches in height 



f 





I 9 



±= 



izz: 



*»<'»'>,M.,/W^ „„ M .^ „ 



L*nT[R LCVEL 



EOQ 



Fig. 4. 



-Diagram showing recession of water at Travertine Terraces, 1907-1912. 



(which was of the maximum steepness), masses being constantly undermined by wave 

 action. Some of the flotsam accumulated at the base was taken for a test to ascertain 

 what seeds might have already been deposited here. About a couple of pounds of this 

 material was placed under cultural conditions and numbers of seedlings representing Atri- 



