298 



this lake. The amount of marshy land is small, lying principally at the south- 

 east end near the outlet. 



The margin of the lake, according to the government survey (1834), is at 

 some distance from the present shore line, but I am inclined to think that that 

 only marked the edge of marshy ground, since at many points within this line are 

 quite large trees growing. I have not been able to obtain accurate information 

 concerning this matter. Tiie greatest changes made in the form of this lake are 

 by the construction of a race-track by filling in a part of the lake on the east side 

 and excavation of a canal from the northwest part of the bay to a point near the 

 railroad depots. We are indebted to the members of the Winona Summer School 

 for boats for our work and admission to the grounds at the time we were making 

 soundings. The area is .987 square mile. 



Webster Lake has been more changed than either of the others by human 

 agencies. It was formerly a group of two or three lakes of about thirty-five feet 

 at their deepest point, lying in the positions indicated by the dotted lines on the 

 accompanying map, surrounded by a marsh of about the extent of the present 

 lake. A dam was constructed for water power for a fiouring mill, and this raised 

 the water to seven feet above its former level. In the north part of the lake nu- 

 merous stumps of various sizes indicate the position of a shore line. "The Back- 

 water" was entirely produced by this dam. The total area at present is 1.057 sq. 

 miles. 



This lake presents a greater diversitv than either of the others ; being shallow, it 

 has great abundance of water plants, the "Backwater" being literally crowded with 

 splatterdock and pond lilies. It has eight wooded islands and shore with variety 

 of meadow, wood, marsh and hill. On the shore also is a variety in vegetation. 

 The edge of the backwater in many places is crowded with cat-tails, while a bog 

 of about five acres in extent at the most northern part of this bay was covered 

 with pitcher plants [Sarrarenia purpurea), and on a ridge somewhat fartlier east 

 was found a considerable diversity of fungus growth. The marsh at the north- 

 east part of the main lake was peculiar because of the height of the ijuaking, 

 grass-grown bog. In two places it was almost twelve feet in height and quite nean 

 the lake. Lying behind this was bog lower than that mentioned. I can not ac- 

 count for this formation satisfactorily, unless it is caused by powerful springs of 

 water beneath making deposits there. 



An instance where springs have built up bog to a greater height is to be seen at 

 the northeast of "the backwater" on either side of a gravelly ridge, but here the 

 water may follow the ridge out from the higher ground. 



A noticable thing about all of the Tippecanoe lakes in contrast to the Turkey 

 Lake is the amber appearance of the water, given, perhaps, by the bogs from 



