NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



513 



Jefferson, near Caddo Lake. M. K. & 

 T. Ry. to Jefferson. A. R. C. 



2. A smaller swamp association that is 

 easily accessible from the City of Palestine. 

 (A2.) Lying in Freestone and Anderson 

 counties. It has a typical swamp flora 

 and fauna; ideal location for avifaunal 

 studies. Abundant blackbird colonies 

 and very large crow roost. Elevation: 

 about 500 ft. 



I. & G. N. to Palestine. A. R. C. 



8. Big Thicket Swamp Association. 

 A large area of swamp association. A 

 place of considerable interest as it 

 contains fresh water as well as brackish 

 and salt water associations. Land very 

 low, with abundant plant and animal 

 life. An interesting locality for the 

 study of fishes. A wonderful breeding 

 ground for birds and the winter home of 

 hundreds of thousands of ducks and 

 geese that are now subjected to an 

 unmerciful slaughter. Elevation: very 

 little above sea level. 



Lies in Chambers County and is 

 accessible from either Liberty or Galves- 

 ton. Big Thicket, near Liberty. T. & 

 N. O. Ry. from Houston. 



4. Another ideal swamp association, 

 quite similar to No. 3, lying in Brazoria 

 County, just north of the mouth of the 

 Brazos River. If the mouth of the 

 Brazos River be included, then all three 

 types of aquatic environments will be 

 found. A fine location for an ecological 

 study of fish and aquatic insects. The 

 preserve should include the mouth of 

 the Brazos River, and extend some 8 mi. 

 northward along the coast, to a depth 

 of about 3 mi. At this point the Brazos 

 River forms an impassible barrier to 

 many species. Elevation: little above 

 sea level to 30 ft. 



Easily accessible from Freeport at the 

 mouth of the river. 



5. A coastal region, lying in Nueces 

 and Kleberg counties. (B2.) This re- 

 gion should include, Mustang, Bird, 

 and the northern half of Padre Islands, 

 which form a low, natural breakwater 

 about 6 to 8 mi. off the coast. Bird 

 Island, a shell reef, is the breeding 

 ground ^of hundreds of pairs of brown 

 and white pelicans, thousands of pairs 

 of laughing gulls, great blue herons; 

 royal, Caspian, common and black terns, 

 black skimmers, boat-tailed grackles, 

 cormorants, etc. Mustang is similar. 

 Padre Island is a low sand-dune region, 

 whereon is found desert forms of insects 

 and reptiles, as well as thousands of 

 shore birds. Nueces Bay is a paradise 

 for ducks and geese of all species. This 

 region, which is unique^ should be pre- 

 served at once as a National Park, and 

 wild life sanctuary, and placed under the 



control of a special warden, as the bird 

 colonies are constantly being raided by 

 fishing crews, so that the species are not 

 holding their own. A wonderful place 

 for the study of shallow water Gulf 

 fishes, as well as the life histories of birds 

 and ecological associations. Padre Is- 

 land, particularly, is a mixture of Mexi- 

 can and semi-tropical associations. 

 Elevation: from a few inches to 30 ft. 

 above sea level. \ 



Accessible from either Kingsville or 

 Corpus Christi. St. L. B. M. R. R. 



6. A typical chaparral association, 

 which is practically unlimited in size. 

 (B2.) Might well contain 200 sq. mi. 

 or more. An ideal locality for the study 

 from an ecological standpoint of life of 

 this type of country typical of Texas. 

 Material for ecological succession is 

 unlimited. Very little water supply. 

 Elevation: about 750 ft. 



Lies in Zavalla, Frio, Dimmit and La 

 Salle counties, and easily accessible from 

 Hondo, Uvalde and other towns. 



8. A high plateau. This is a most 

 interesting region for ecological study, 

 consisting of a very high plateau 

 Edward's Escarpment (A3), which at 

 places reaches 3000 ft. and more 

 together with much timberland. In- 

 teresting floral zonation. Might well 

 contain 50 sq. mi. or more. Elevation: 

 about 2000 ft. 



Reached from Fredericksburg S. A. 

 F. & N., and lying in the southeast 

 corner of Gillespie County. 



9. A region of considerable geologic 

 interest lies in Llano and Burnet coun- 

 ties. (A3.) This marks the line of 

 contact between the lime and granite 

 countries. A very rough, ragged 

 country, known as the Granite Moun- 

 tains, through which flows the Colorado 

 River. A wide variety of both plant 

 and animal life. Elevation: averages 

 about 1000 ft. 



Accessible from Kingland and Llano 

 H. T. C. Ry. 



10. A sagebrush association. (A3.) 

 Lies in Wilbarger County, on the Red 

 River. A very wild and primitive 

 country, with a typical sagebrush biota. 

 The Red River affords interesting aqua- 

 tic studies which are in marked contrast 

 with those of the surrounding country. 

 Elevation: about 1200 ft. 



Accessible from Chillicothe or Vernon. 



11. An interesting desert region lies 

 at the northern union of Crosby and 

 Dickens counties. (A3.) The preserv- 

 able region here would be about 25 sq. 

 mi. Interesting more from a botanical 

 point of view, having a good growth of 

 desert flora. Considerable erosion has 

 worn a fair canyon through the region, 



