135 



date assijiiiefl is al)out 18;3(i. It is not reported wlietlier tliis was simply 

 the result of a temporary Hood or a constant condition. The area of the 

 surface is subject to (luite marked variation at present, possibly more so 

 than before the removal of much of the surrounding forest. The (Govern- 

 ment Survey shore line of 18:^4 lies at places considerably outside present 

 maps of the lake. Mr. Large expresses his opinion that it perhaps marked 

 the limit of the swampy ground. 



In appearance and vegetation the various parts of the lake plain differ 

 considerably from each other. In some places the soil is a reddish or 

 brownish muck, in other places'it is a blackish soil. In some parts it is a 



Fig. 2. 



sedgy, ferny meadow, in others it is covered with a dense growth of bushes, 

 as clumps of willow, Cephahnithiis and Corniis. There seem to be indica- 

 tions, however, that it was once nearly alike in vegetation, and that the 

 sedgy, ferny meadow has been cleared off by artificial means. One indica- 

 tion of this is that we have wholly different regions on different sides of 

 fences, one side of the fence being busliy. and the other covered with 

 sedges, grasses and ferns only. In one place where there was such a level 

 meadow, a few dead willow sprouts were noticed. Examination revealed 

 that they were charred about the roots and had probably been killed by 



