THE INFLUENCE OF FLOODS UPON ANIMALS 



D. M. BRUMFIEL. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 



I. Introduction 155 



II. General Discussion of the Region Studied ^ 156 



III. Ways in Which Floods Influence Animal Associations.... 158 



IV. Acknowledgements and Bibliography 169 



INTRODUCTION. 



The atteiitioii of the writer was first called directly to this 

 problem by certain observations made along the White Water 

 river, in southeastern Indiana, at the time of the great flood 

 which swept that section of the country in the spring of 1913 — 

 generally known as the Dayton Flood. The writer was attempt- 

 ing to make collections of insects in the bottom lands of this 

 small tributary of the Ohio river between the downpours of rain 

 on JMonday, March 24, 1913, at the time when that particular 

 stream- overflowed its banks. The observation that certain forms 

 of animal life were destroyed outright, and others were forced 

 to flee before the rising water, while still others were carried 

 along on floating driftwood and other debris by which they 

 might be introduced into new regions led to analysis of the in- 

 fluence of such floods upon animial life. 



This analysis is based upon the study of the limited portion 

 of the White Water valley with which the writer is the most 

 familiar, in occasional visits to the region in the two years fol- 

 lowing March, 1913, together with a careful review of the chang- 

 ing •conditions which have been noticed since the largest previous 

 flood, that of 1898. Having analyzed these changes and their 

 underlying causes the writer had hoped to follow this with a 

 careful survey, verified by actual collections to substantiate the 

 conclusions and illustrate the statements made. Having not 

 been able to spend sufficient time in the reo'ion at times when 

 extensive collections were possible, and for the same reason 

 being unable to follow the intennediate and successional changes 

 between floods, it has been considered advisable to present this 

 brief paper in order to record the observations made and also 

 in order to call the attention of other workers to this interesting 



