8 FISHES OF THE CONNECTICUT LAKES. 



Pond Brook, the outlet of Mud Pond, and Round Pond Brook, out- 

 let of Round Pond. The first joins the lake just east of Metallak 

 Point and the other about halfway between Metallak Point and the 

 mouth of Main Inlet. 



The shores of the lake vary in character, on the south side being 

 mainly rocky and somewhat bolder than on the north side. Imme- 

 diately south of Main Inlet the shore is swampy. The rest of the 

 east shore of East Bay around to Stony Point is variously sandy and 

 rocky, but mostly sandy north of the mouth of Alder Brook. Close to 

 Stony Point are two small islands and some submerged ledges and 

 bowlders. 



South Bay on the east and south side is mostly rocky ; on the west 

 side there are beaches composed of rocks, small bowlders, sand, and 

 mud, through which cold spring water trickles into the lake in a 

 number of places. It was here that some large fish were seen rising. 

 The rest of the south shore of the lake is mainly rocky to the outlet. 

 The north shore from Abbott Point to Metallak Point consists for 

 the most part of a sand beach with occasional short stretches of rocks. 

 At the mouths of the brooks it is somewhat swampy. From Metal- 

 lak Point west for about three-fourths of a mile the shore is com- 

 posed to a great extent of loose rocks and projecting jagged ledges 

 in situ. This is followed by a swampy area, and on the northwest 

 side a shallow cove is full of old stumps, logs, and dead trees, known 

 in backwoods parlance as " dry kye." 



The only muddy bottoms near shore are at the western end of the 

 lake, the estuary-like entrance of Main Inlet, and the mouth of Mud 

 Pond Brook. The northern and eastern shores present gravel and 

 sand, respectivel}', and South Bay a stony offshore bottom, with a 

 slight mud filling between the bowlders. Throughout the lake at 

 large the character of the bottom is a very easily disturbed granular 

 black dirt, into which the sounding lead sank 8 or 10 inches and 

 reached a substratum of yellow slimy mud. 



The history of the lake shows that the level of the water has been 

 2 to 3 feet higher than the level of the season of 1904. It was higher 

 during the season of 1903. There is abundant evidence of former 

 higher level of Avater on the shores, viz, the higher former shore line, 

 almost bare beaches of sand and gravel ; the dead standing trees 

 whose roots have been covered by water during long periods ; and the 

 testimony of residents and visitors who find that the marshes and 

 shallow feeding grounds of water and shore birds have largely dis- 

 appeared. The i^resent area of marshy ground contiguous to the lake 

 is probably less than an acre. The level of the lake is now possibly 

 near the level before the dam was built across the outlet. 



The bottom of the lake at large gradually slopes from the shore to 

 a depth of 70 feet, which is maintained over most of its area. The 



