194 Conservation Department | 



The predominating species in genej'al were the same as those 

 occurring about Strawberry island. 



4. The small bay near Grand island landing and about two miles 

 northward. In addition to the forms mentioned under Straw^berry 

 island, the following common species were observed: Potamogeton 

 amplif alius, P. nafans, P. hupleuroides, P. compressus, Heteran- 

 thcra (luhia, Ceratophyllum demersum, Myriophijllum exalhescens, 

 XympJiozanthus ad vena, Ponfederia cordafa and Equisetum 

 limosum. 



5. The shallow water about the mouth of Spicer creek to the 

 mouth of Gun creek. This area, which seems to be used as a 

 dumping ground for old ships, was occupied by a greater num- 

 ber of species than any other locality observed luring the survey. 

 The species observed include nearly every species listed on page 

 195. In addition to the dominant species observed in other 

 localities in the river El odea canadensis formed a very dense cover- 

 ing over considerable areas. 



6. From Edgewater landing some distance below the slag fill 

 below North Tonawanda to Cayuga island. The margin of the 

 channel and the small bays were occupied by a very dense bed of 

 VaUisneria spiralis. This species, apparently being more tolerant 

 of the pollution than the other species, occupied this area to the 

 almost total exclusion of other forms. 



7. The shallow water north and WTst of Buckhorn island. Large 

 areas of submerged vegetation and also an irregular emersed zone 

 which, in some places, extended out into the shallow w^ater for con- 

 siderable distances, occupied this area. The narrow shallow chan- 

 nel between Buckhorn island and Grand island was covered with 

 a very dense growth of Scirpiis acutus, S. americanus, Sagittaria 

 latifolia, S. hetey^ophylla and Eleocharis pcdustris, and near the 

 shore Typha angusfifolia was common. 



The Lower Niagara River. — The Aiwerican shore of the 

 Niagara river, from its mouth on Lake Ontario to the Suspension 

 bridge at Lewiston, was lined with a rather uniform zone of 

 aquatic vegetation, which began about three to ten meters from 

 the shore and extended over a strip about ten to twenty meters 

 wide, occupying a depth of about one to four meters. The uni- 

 formity of the vegetation is probabl}^ due to the lack of variation 

 in habitat. The water of the Niagara river is well aerated and 

 mixed when it passes over the falls and as it passes through the 

 whirlpool it is again churned up. The lower Niagara river flows 

 through a deep gorge. It is too deep for rooted aquatics except 

 for a narrow zone along each side of the stream. The washing of 

 the shore by the swift currents and waves and the fluctuations in 

 the river level make it unfavorable for the development of the 

 larger aquatics at the shore line. 



Vegetation of the Lower Niagara River. — VaUisneria spiralis 

 and Potamogeton pusillus were the dominant species in the shallow 

 water. Near the outer margin of weed beds, or in three to five 

 meters of water, Potamogeton Richardsonii and P. pectinatus were 



