304 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [July, ’o8 
distance from the swamp the woodland is typical hickory- 
oak growth. Immediately about the swamp are black ash, elm, 
pin-oak, red maple and a few sycamores. Willows and button 
bush fringe the swamp at several points. In the swamp itself 
Sparganium eurycarpum is most conspicuous. At one side is 
a large area of Iris versicolor and Carices abound along the 
eastern side. There are several areas of cat-tails and spatter 
dock (Nymphaea advena), the latter of which is noticeably 
increasing its territory. Duckweed (Spirodela) is abundant 
with other floating and submerged vegetation, and in spring 
the beautiful leaves of the yellow water crowfoot (Ranunculus 
delphinifolus) show splendidly through the clear water. A 
few years ago Scirpus fluviatilis appeared in the swamp and 
it has now increased to a considerable area. Associated with 
it is the rice grass, Homalocenchrus oryzoides. No other 
station for Scirpus fluviatilis is known for Wells County and a 
violet, Viola conspersa, growing near at hand in the low wood- 
land, is known nowhere else in this county. Along the low 
area which drains the swamp during its brief period of over- 
flow, Caltha palustris, a rare plant here, occurs sparingly. 
In early spring dainty crustaceans (Branchipus vernalis) 
in half invisible schools pulsate their aimless ways. The cray- 
fish (Cambarus acutus), lives in the swamp and Cambarus 
argillicola burrows in the immediately adjacent woodland. 
Spotted water snakes drop from the button bushes, the shores 
are alive with spotted frogs and tree toads (Hyla versicolor) 
may be gathered like inanimate objects from an old board 
fence or from the spatterdock leaves. Formerly, painted turtles 
and snapping turtles lived in the swamp but I have seen neither 
for a year or two. There are no fish and but few salamand- 
ers (Amblystoma) in the swamp. Red-winged blackbirds and 
green herons nest at the swamp. There is one muskrat house, 
and raccoons are frequent visitors. 
The waters teem with varied insect life. The number of 
species of dragonflies observed is not large but individuals of 
certain species are legion. This and one other swamp in Wells 
County are the only known stations in the state for Sympetrum 
