MMV ORSHReATIONS ON MEeeENV ERT E- 
BRATE FAUNA OF THE KUMAON LAKES, 
WITH SPECIAL REFEREMer TO 
THE. SPONGES AND 
OY ZO Ae 
By N. ANNANDALE, D.Sc., F.A.S.B., Superintendent, and 
STANLEY Kemp, B.A., Assistant Superintendent, 
Indian Museum. 
[The following notes are, in the main, the results of a visit 
paid to the Kumaon lakes in May, 1911, by Mr. Kemp. We have, 
however, incorporated also observations made by myself in 
October, 1907.—N. A.] 
PART I.—GENERAL,. 
By STANLEY Kemp and N. ANNANDALE. 
The Kumaon lakes! are situated at altitudes of from 3,600 
to 6,400 feet in the lower ranges of the Western Himalayas in 
the administrative district of Naini Tal. According to Theobald 
their origin *‘is due to the obstruction of local drainage caused 
by the debris of old moraines on the retrocession of the glaciers 
at the termination_of the glacial epoch.’’ None of them are of 
any great size, the largest, Naini Tal, covering an area of about 
120 acres. ‘The depth is as a rule considerable and in Naukuchia 
Tal may reach as much as 132 feet. 
The principal lakes are five in number :— 
Maximum 
Altitude. depth. 
Feet. Feet. 
Malwa Tal Pas: 3,600 127 
Naukachia fal ... 4,000 132 
Bhim Tal se. 4,450 87 
Sat Tal =: 49506 614 
Naini Tal 12 0 4G@ 93 
The banks of the lakes are steep and in most cases composed of 
stones, at some points with a considerable amount of fine mud. 
1 For particulars of the geology and structure of these lakes see Theobald’s 
paper ‘‘ The Kumaon Lakes,’’ Rec. Geol. Surv. Ind. XIII, p. 161 (1880), and 
Holland’s Report on the geological structure and stability of the hill slopes 
around Naini Tal, Mem. Geol. Surv. Ind., 1897. 
