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NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



mammals. Banta recorded 110 species 

 from May field's cave. He classifies 

 them as follows: cave exclusive, 10; 

 permanent residents, 28; temporary resi- 

 dents, 24; visitors, 36; strays, 17. (See 

 Packard, 1888; Eigenmann, 1909; Banta, 

 1907; Mclndoo, 1910; Scott, 1909; Hahn, 

 1908.) 



d. Solution Ponds. The Solution 

 Ponds of the Cave Region. The Solu- 

 tion Ponds of Southern Indiana are 

 formed by the occlusion of the outlets 

 of "sink holes." They are formed 

 suddenly, a pond of some acres being 

 formed sometimes in a few hours. This 

 makes them ideal habitats in which to 

 study the incidence and development of 

 aquatic faunas. The size of the basin 

 in which they lie, its slope, whether it is 

 covered with woodland, grass, or thicket 

 gives them great variety. Some are so 

 large and permanent that they develop 

 the fauna of small lakes, others are 

 seasonal. These characteristics makes 

 them the finest sort of material for the 

 analysis of ecological factors. 



e. Lakes. The lakes of Indiana do not 

 differ markedly from others formed in 

 the Pleistocene glaciation. They lie in 

 lower latitudes than the other Pleisto- 

 cene lakes of America. Many are al- 

 ready extinct. In a small area, lakes 

 exhibiting various stages in the process 

 of extinction may be found. Turkey 

 lake is the largest, area about 5 sq. mi., 

 and Tippecanoe the deepest (37 M.). 



Probably twenty of these lakes are 

 large enough to show thermal stratifica- 

 tion in the summer. Of those examined 

 about one-third exhaust the oxygen in 

 the hypolimnion during the summer. 

 The lakes are stratified by June first and 

 the autumnal overturn occurs from late 

 September to early November. 



There have been more lakes destroyed 

 in Indiana than exist at present. Plant 

 deposition and marl deposits have been 

 the most potent factors in this destruc- 

 tion. Erosion of outlets also has oc- 

 curred but has played a minute part in 

 the process. Since 1890, drainage has 

 lowered the level of many lakes. This 

 gradual destruction of lakes has resulted 



in swamps, the bogs of various types. 

 A few examples may be cited. There is 

 a tamarack swamp about 1| mi. south of 

 Leesburg. One mile north of North 

 Webster a woodland lakelet almost 

 extinct contains Umbria in enormous 

 quantities. One mile south and a little 

 east of Syracuse is a quaking bog formed 

 in part by swamp loosestrife. Several 

 woodland marshed with interesting 

 odonate faunas are located near 

 Bluffton. 



The cypress swamps. The Wabash 

 Lowland originally contained about 

 20,000 acres of cypress swamps according 

 to Collett, 1874 (quoted by Hahn, 1908; 

 Butler, 1897). They harbored the water 

 hare (Lepus aquations} and formed 

 nesting sites for the egret. They have 

 been reduced by drainage and cutting 

 until only a few small remnants remain, 

 one near Vincennes and less than a half 

 dozen in Gibson and Posey counties. 



II. PRESENT BIOTA 



The great till plain of central Indiana 

 has little of the original flora and fauna 

 left. The Kankakee region is rapidly 

 changing. The Lake region has been 

 discussed under the "Original Biota." 



The unglaciated part of the state still 

 holds a few patches of undisturbed 

 timber. Much second-growth occurs. 



The larger mammals (deer, bear, elk, 

 etc.), the passenger pigeon, paroquet, 

 and wild turkey have disappeared. 

 The ruffed grouse and the pileated wood- 

 pecker are rare and limited to the 

 wooded hills of the "knobstone area." 



On the other hand, the rodents of the 

 field, the sparrows, meadow lark and 

 quail are more numerous than a century 

 ago, due to the replacing of the forests 

 with cultivated fields. 



The Tippecanoe River is the only river 

 in Indiana approximating primitive 

 conditions. Much of its upper course 

 has been unaffected by man except for 

 fishing. Power is being developed in the 

 last 40 mi. of its course. The principal 

 southern tributaries of the Wabash have 

 been damaged by the oil field waste. 

 The West Fork of White River has been 



