19 



a very interesting species, anodonta suborbiculata, per- 

 haps the handsomest of all mussels and quite scarce every- 

 where except in this lake. The late state geologist Worthen 

 discovered this beautiful unio in this lake and kept it a secret 

 for many years, sending specimens to nearly every museum in 

 the world, and to many private collections. There are plenty 

 of them in the lake now but they keep to the southern 

 half of the body of water, while a companion almost equally 

 interesting, anodonta corpulentii, holds possession of the north- 

 ern half. 



This lake is also headquarters of a bird that is the gem 

 of the swampy place — the prothonatory warbler, which 

 builds always over the water in holes of old stumps or trees 

 and uses only green moss for nest material. 



Water birds of all kinds are abundant in this region. On De- 

 cember 12th last, one of the stormiest days of the month, 

 my father and I killed the legal limit of red-legged mallards in a 

 few hours. Many other animals are to be found here. On 

 one excursion four big water snakes dropped from over-hang- 

 ing willows into my boat. 



It was here that I first met the essayist Mr. Adams and also 

 some years ago discovered a big man in rough wading clothes 

 and big sun hat in water up to his arm-pits and on inquiring 

 of some fishermen who it was got the reply that he was an 

 old crank soldier, a little queered. Further investigations dis- 

 closed the fact that it was the now honored president of the 

 Illinois Academy of Science, Stephen A. Forbes, one of the most 

 noted scientific investigators in the world. 



Mr. Forbes. — "In locating our station on the Illinois river 

 we were fortunate in having the acquaintance of a man who 

 from his boyhood had been familiar with the region — Dr. 

 Strode." 



