181 



existence of glacial lakes has made favorable the conditions for man's 

 occupancy. Maumee Lalie basin, mentioned above, has a verj- rich soil, 

 and yields some of the finest crops grown in the vicinity. Beyond the 

 boundaries of our own State, and south of the line marking the farthest 

 extension of the ice diu'ing the ice age, and south of lines marking periods 

 of rest in its recession are many such basins; rivers were dammed, new 

 lakes formed, and old ones enlarged, until to-day thousands of square 

 miles of rich farming lands are found in the United States which would 

 not otherwise have been here. The great wheat growing region and fine 

 pasture lands of North Dakota are thus explained. "Such was the herit- 

 age which the great glacier of the ice age left as its parting gift, thus 

 assuring the permanent prosperity of large and widespread regions of 

 North America." 



Abandoned Meanders of Spy Run Creek. 



By J. A. Pkice and Albert Shaaf. 



Spy Run Creek rises in the north central ^art of "Washington Town- 

 ship, Allen County, and empties into the St. Mary's River, near Fort 

 Wayne. It is a small, insignificant stream, but has, however, some note- 

 worthy features, foremost of which is the marked shifting of its bed in 

 and below Spy Run lake basin. 



The head waters of this creek probably existed before the final retreat 

 of the Erie ice lobe from the site of the first Erie moraine. The creek 

 was dammed by the ice front, thus helping to form Spy Run Lake. The 

 waters of the lake followed the ice in its gradual retreat aud in this 

 manner the lower extension of the creek was formed. At this time this 

 part of the stream was probably much larger than at present. Its 

 increased volume was due to the supply of water received from the lakes. 

 It is impossible to say how long the stream was occupied in draining 

 these lakes. At present, however, the stream has a well developed flood 

 plain varying in width from two to three hundred yards. As a rule there 

 are two or three annual overflows, during which time the waters cover a 

 part or all of the flood plain. The depth of the water varies from six to 

 eighteen or more inches. The strength of the current over the flooded 

 area may be inferred from the fact that several years ago a rail fence 



