56 SIXTEENTH REPORT. 



TOPOGRAPHY. 



The topograph}' of the point is simple. It may be described as sand and 

 shingle ridges varying from a few feet to about sixty feet in height, having in 

 general a trend parallel with the present shore line, and separated by swales, 

 ponds or swamps of various sizes. The soil of the point is thus principally 

 sand, and, owing to the fact that the ridges are mostly covered Avith coni- 

 ferous trees, it is only in the swamps and ponds and on the old ridges at 

 the base of the point that a layer of humus of any depth has accumulated. 

 West of Vermilion there is a moraine of sandy till that extends away to 

 the southward, the northern end of which has been included in the region 

 studied. 



HABITATS AND VEGETATION. 



As shown by the vegetation, there is but a small number of major habitats 

 in the region. The following may be recognized: 



Terrestrial. Aquatic. 



Beach of Lake Superior. Lake Superior. 



Sand ridges. Transient ponds. 



Open areas. Permanent ponds. 



Jack pine forest. Streams and ditches. 



Birch-white pine forest. 



Pine forest. 



Low ground. 



Alder and willow thickets. 



Grass and sedge swamps. 



Tamarack and cedar bogs. 



Balsam-spruce forest. 

 Moraine (Hemlock-birch-maple forest). 



Beach of Lake Superior. — The Lake Superior beach everywhere consists of 

 sand or pebbles. The beach proper varies in width from a few feet to several 

 rods, and is ^^^thout vegetation. Where the first dune is some distance 

 from the water's edge the face of the dune and more or less of the flat is 

 covered with grasses, but where the lake is cutting into the dune this zone 

 is lacking. The vertical face of the outer dune was used as a nesting site 

 b}^ the Kingfishers and colonies of the Bank Swallows. 



As is well known, there is little food for birds on such beaches in this 

 region. A few insects, such as flies, ants, dragon flies and butterflies are 

 seen, but these mostly prefer the more protected habitats and are seldom 

 abundant. A few dead fish and a small amount of invertebrate remains 

 are cast up, but this food supply also is sporadic and scanty. 



The scavenger birds, such as the Herring Gull, Crow, Raven and Bald 

 Eagle, were most regularly seen. The waders observed were a few Spotted 

 Sand Pipers, a family of Killdeer, and, during the migration season, Black- 

 bellied Plover, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Semipalmated 

 Plover, Turnstone and Solitary Sandpiper. An adult Merganser and young 

 were seen on the south beach on one occasion, and a Sora at another time, 

 and flocks of the Bank Swallow and Barn Swallow sometimes flew along 

 this habitat. 



Sand ridges. — The sand ridges constitute the most important habitat on 

 the point. The flora indicates four important divisions. At the end of the 



