137 



in this region is somewhat patchy in places. There are several areas 

 covered with tlie royal fern, Osnuinda 7'egaUs. at the outer edge, near the 

 hills. This fern grows so thickly here that at certain times the ripened 

 sporangia give the whole landscape a brownish cast. Toward the lake is 

 a pond of c-onsiderable size fringed with cat-tails and a whitish sedge, 

 along with Elcocharis and Sagittaria. Near the lake shore, as has been 

 said, is a fringe of willows. In this portion of the plain, during the month 

 of August, the wand-like stems of blazing star, Lacinaria spicata, with long 

 spikes of violet purple flowers, rise here and there and give a peculiar 

 effect. 



The portion of the lake plain south of the lake is continuous with that 

 just mentioned and extends to Clear Creek. Along its outer margins it is 

 much like the portion just described— a sedgy, flat stretch of country. To 

 this during the late summer an abundance of swamp milk-weed and joe 

 pye weed tint the whole landscape a light purple. Near the lake is a large 

 pond or maa-sh where grows in one place great patches of Sagittaria. 

 Here are the most extensive patches of bulrush, cat-tail, Spnrg(t)ihim and 

 Calamus in the vicinity. Beside gi-owing by themselves in places, these 

 plants also grow together in other spots, forming a mixed flora. The soil 

 is more than saturated with water, and is very miry. There are not many 

 willows here, but just a little distance west, near Clear Creek, the large 

 marsh extends back a long distance, and consists of an almost impenetra- 

 ble willow thicket. Back of this willow thicket is a low-gi*ound foi-est, 

 already mentioned. At the extreme west end of this marsh it becomes 

 more open and prairie-like, and has the appearance of having been burned 

 over. Among the tall sedges of this place is an abundance of such plants 

 as prairie fern, prairie dock and a tick trefoil {Meiboma canadense), very 

 showy when in bloom. Some of the gi'ound is mossy. One large tama- 

 rack with several smaller ones, probably its seedlings, are growing here 

 isolated from others of the kind. The ground is not like that generally 

 found in tamarack swamps. 



At the termination of this marsh, a hill, part of it under cultivation 

 and part of it upland forest, comes down near to the lake. From this 

 place the hill and high-ground forest extend along the lake shore to some 

 distance beyond Yarnelle's point, and for a space the lake plain and low 

 gi'ound wholly disappear. 



Beyond Yarnelle's landing, and near the neck of the lake, the lake plain 

 begins again and broadens considerably. Part of the plain has been 



