204 Bog-Trotting for Orchids 



remains of the whale and mastodon have been found. 

 A fossil whale was found in Charlotte, Vermont, sixtj'" 

 feet above the level of the lake and one hundred and 

 fifty feet above sea level. In Swanton, in a ledge of 

 rock blasted through for railroad purposes, a large de- 

 posit of fossil marine shells was found. Also fossil 

 bones of the elephant w^ere found in Brattleboro. 



Beyond the Howling Swamp, an interesting gla- 

 cial hill rises, dividing the swamp from the broader 

 valley of Ball Brook beyond. The lower south- 

 ern brow of this hill had beeij eroded by the cur- 

 rents formerly flowing over the ridge when a larger 

 lake existed here. From the summit of this hill, one 

 becomes conscious that not so long ago wide waters 

 spread about. Two currents are evident, — one from 

 the glaciated Dome, flowing westward, and one from 

 the ice-capped heights of Mount Anthony, southeast- 

 w^ard; the two currents mingling and rushing westward 

 over the Glebe toward Pownal Centre and the natural 

 dam at Gregor Rocks, toward the Hudson Valley and 

 the sea. Slowly — as the dam in the valley broke away 

 and let the ice-currents out — the mountain lakes were 

 drained off, and left these bare, round hills and deep, 

 swamp}^ hollows, where as soon as the climates grew 

 temperate, forests of evergreens sprang up and flowers 

 bloomed. Northward, toward Bennington, as far as 

 the eye can see, one discerns a chain of rounded wooded 

 hills and intervening swamps. 



On mj^ way homeward, I stopped at the Swamp of 

 Oracles, and decided to climb up the sides of the ravine 



