92 



There is -water of various depths, marshes, clear pools and all the chief 

 forms of aquatic vegetation that this region of Minnesota affords— in fact, 

 all the conditions that could be desired for an inland laboratory. The 

 region abounds in breeding places for fishes, l)atrachians and reptiles; 

 many species of mollusks are found in the lake, and the lower forms of 

 aquatic life are everywhere abundant. 



Thus it would seem that an ideal spot had l)een found for a lake lal)o- 

 ratoi-y for the University of Minnesota, which it is hoped the authorities 

 may see their way clear to establish there in the near futiu'e. 



During the past summer Prof. Nachtrieb kept a small party at the 

 head of Lake Pepin in the beached Megalops, with which he spent the 

 greater portion of his own time. Large collections were made, among 

 which were many insects, numerous fish stomachs and a quantity of his- 

 tological material. 



During the past summer Prof. Nachtriel), with an assistant, spent a 

 few weeks on the Lake of the Woods, studying the lake sturgeon, and the 

 writer, M'itli three .•issist;ints, ])ut in tlio entire summer on Lake Vei'rnilion, 

 at Tower. .Minn. L.ike ^■ermilion is some forty miles long in one direc- 

 tion, much narrower in the other, but it is not one open uodj^ of water, 

 Imt i-atlier a number of small lakes connected by numerous channels. It 

 is in the heart of what was once an evergreen forest region, and its shores, 

 which are chiefly rocky, border on the granite on the one hand and the 

 very early stratified forms on the other. The water is clear and pure 

 e.xcept for the floating forms of aquatic life in midsummer, and it varies 

 in depth from five lo forty feet, with possibly a few small areas that are 

 deeper. 



AVe established our camp on Pine Island, about seven miles from 

 Tower. There was no one living within six miles of the place and no 

 facilities for camping except numerous beautiful locations among the 

 pines and tlie outfit wliich we carried with us. We erected two tents and 

 from the dilapidated roof of a former homesteader's cabin secured enough 

 boards to make some tables. We also made an excavation in the bank, 

 lined it with slabs split from cottonwood poles, rooted it over with boards 

 and tar paper from the dilapidated caltin, and thus had a very efficient 

 dark room, in whicl! we successfully developed more than three hundred 

 negatives. Om- outfit, in addition to the culinary department, consisted 

 of seines, gill-nets, other smaller nets, a canvas boat, microscopes, books, 

 cameras, guns, preserving jars and fluids, and other minor articles. One 



