I909-] FRESH-WATER FAUNA IN PENNSYLVANIA. 105 



Kiskiminetas River, at its point of union with the Allegheny, is in 

 a fearful condition, the pollution consisting chiefly of mine water 

 from the extensive coal regions of Westmoreland, Indiana, Cambria 

 and Somerset Counties. In fact, we may say, that in almost all of 

 the drainage basin of the Kiskiminetas fresh-water life is extinct.® 

 For the main stream, the Kiskiminetas-Conemaugh, this is true for 

 its whole length, from above Johnstown in Cambria County down- 

 ward. The Loyalhanna River from Latrobe downward is even 

 worse than the Conemaugh. Black Lick Creek and its tributaries, 

 Two Lick and Yellow Creeks, in Indiana County, are also polluted, 

 and so is Stony Creek in Somerset County. There are, in the whole 

 Kiskiminetas drainage, only very few streams possessing clear 

 water and a tolerably well preserved fauna. In Westmoreland 

 County we have a small stream, Beaver Run, which is good, and the 

 Loyalhanna River above Latrobe contains a rich fauna. In Indiana 

 County Blacklegs Run and the upper parts of Two Lick and Yellow 

 Creeks are in good condition ; in the lower part of Yellow Creek the 

 fauna was destroyed during 1908. A mine had been opened in 1907 

 above Homer City, and the mine water discharged into the creek 

 did its deadly work in the summer of 1908, when the stage of the 

 water for the first time after the opening of the mine became so 

 low that the concentration of the pollution was great enough to kill 

 the fauna. On July 23, 1908, the writer personally witnessed the 

 actual destruction of the fauna, and the number of dead and dying 

 fishes seen in Yellow Creek at Homer City was perfectly appalling. 



Clear tributaries of the Conemaugh are found in the valley 

 between Chestnut Ridge and Laurel Hill : Tub Mill Run, for in- 

 stance, near New Florence, is very good (trout stream). As has 

 been said, Stony Creek, in Somerset County, is polluted. Of its 

 tributaries, at least one is in good condition : Quemahoning Creek; 

 others have not been investigated, but probably there are more clear 

 streams, chiefly among the headwaters coming down from Laurel 

 Hill and Allegheny Front. 



{d) The Great Eastern Tributaries of the Allegheny. — There are 



*This is very deplorable in view of the fact that for several fresh species, 

 described by Professor Cope, the Kiskiminetas is the type-locality. No 

 topotypes can be secured any more. 



