430 NATURE SKETCHES IN TEMPERATE AMERICA 



DEFINITIONS OF COMMON EN\'IRONMENTAL COMPLEXES 

 AND THE VARIOUS HABITATS OF PLANTS, GROUPED 

 UNDER FORMATIONS^ 



I. Water Plant Formations: Hydrophytia. 



1 . Ocean : One of the large bodies of water into which the 

 great ocean is regarded as divided; the great ocean covers 

 more than three-fifths of the surface of the globe. 



2. Sea: One of the larger bodies of salt water, less than an 

 ocean, found on tiie earth; («) surface, and (b) deep sea. 



3. Lake: A large body of water contained in a dei)ression of 

 the earth's .'■urface and suppHed from drainage of more or less 

 extended area; (a) margin; ih) wooded margin; (c) sandy shore. 



4. Pond: A confined body of water of less extent than a 

 lake; referred to sometimes as a basin; (a) margin; (6) wooded 

 margin. 



5. Pool: A small and rather deej) collection of fresh water, 

 as one supplied by a spring; (a) margin. 



6. Stagnant water: not flowing; ia) margin. 



7. Stream : A flowing river or brook; (a) margin; (6) bottom- 

 land; (c) wooded margin. 



8. Salt Marsh: Similar to fresh marsh, but land covered 

 wholly or in part with saline water; [a) margin. 



9. Fresh Marsh : A tract of .soft, wet land, commonly covered 

 wholly or ])artially with fresh water; (a) margin. 



10. Wet Meadow: Lowland covered with coarse grass or 

 rank herbage. 



11. River: A stream larger than a ri\ulet or brook; (a) 

 margin; {h) bottom-land. 



1'2. Creek: A stream of water smaller than a river and larger 

 than a lirook; a) margin; ih) l)ottom-land. 



13. Hrook: A natural stream of water smaller than a river 

 or creek; (a) margin. 



14. Rill: A very small brook; (a) margin. 



15. Torrent: A stream suddenly raised and running rapidly, 

 as down a precipitous slope; (a) margin. 



1(5. Freshet: An overflowing of a stream caused by heavy 

 rains or melted snow, usually occurring in the spring. 



17. Spring: An issue of water from the earth; (a) margin. 



IS. Ditch : A trench made in the earth by digging for draining 

 the land; (a) margin; (h) bottom; (r) canal. 



10. Hog: A quagmire, or wet, spong>' ground, where a heavy 

 body is apt to sink; (a) sandy; (6) cold; (c) peat or sphagnum; 

 (d) margin. 



' Ocean, sea, and desert are added to make this nomenclature more com- 

 plete. See note, p. 433. 



