30 THE BIOLOGY OF HARDING COUNTY 



few points along brooks in the forest reserves. The largest are in 

 the North Cave Hills. Boggy spots occur about springs in a 

 few other places. 



A few characteristic aquatic plants and animals: The rivers 

 flow swiftly and are subject to frequent floods. Submerged plants, 

 other than algae are practically lacking. For a list of the plants 

 found on moist shores see the next two heads. The chief animals 

 are "clam" (Anodonta) and a snail (Sphaerium), several fish of 

 which the following were collected: bullhead (Ameiurus), cat- 

 fish (Ictalurus), buffalo-fish (Ictiobus), sucker (Catostomus), 

 Dace (Phoxinus), Shiner or minnows (Notropis) and various 

 insect larva. The houses of Caddice flies are abundant on the 

 submerged rocks. Some of the birds frequently seen along the 

 rivers are the spotted and solitary sandpipers, killdeer, the king- 

 fisher, th eherons and various ducks. Among the mammals musk- 

 rats and beaver are the most plentiful mink and otter occur. 



The ponds differ chiefly in their permanency as in this limited 

 area "alkali" ponds are nearly lacking. The more permanent 

 waterholes have an abundance of snails of several species and 

 three genera (Lymnea, Planorbis and Physa), numerous insects 

 (water beetles, water boatman, water striders, back swimmers, 

 dragonfly and other immature stages of insects, etc.) ; crustacia 

 are locally very plentiful. In the larger waterholes along streams 

 suckers and minnows at least, among the fish, are found. Turtles 

 and garter snakes represent the reptiles, and frogs the amphibians. 

 Muskrats are the most abundant mammal. Killdeer and ducks 

 are the chief birds. About the blowouts and other shallow ponds 

 waders (sandpipers, etc.) are usually seen in migration. Killdeer 

 nest near ithem. Submerged in waterholes we found the water 

 butter cup (Batrachium), False Water Cress (Roripa), Pond 

 weed (Potomagetan) and Chara. On the moist soil bordering 

 waterholes are various marsh plants such as Arrowgrass (Trig- 

 toclim), Water Plantain (Alisma) Arrowhead (Sagittaria) Cord 

 Grass (Spartina), Sedge (Carex), Rushes (Scirpus, Juncus), 

 Spike rush (Eleocharis), buttercup (Ranunculus) and Haler- 

 pestes, Mint (Mentha), Hyssop (Gratiola) Beggar's tick 

 (Bidens), Water hoar hound (Lycopus), waterhemlock (Cicuta) 

 Willowher'b (Epilobum), and the 'smartweed (Polygonum), and 

 dock (Rumex). 



