A REMARKABLE MARL LAKE 1 



Early in June 1900 the writer visited Littlefield Lake, Isa- 

 bella county, Michigan, which, from its peculiar form, and the 

 deposits about it, seemed worthy of special description. 



The country about the lake is of a well-marked morainal 

 structure, the till, however, being sandy in places, and noticeably 

 gravelly and bowldery throughout, and formerly heavily covered 

 with pine. The lake occupies a deep depression in a trough-like 

 valley, surrounded by moderately high morainal hills, and from 

 its apparent connection with a series of swampy valleys, suggests 

 a glacial drainage valley, but as it was not followed for any dis- 

 tance its origin was not determined. 



The lake itself is about one and one half miles long by three 

 fourths of a mile broad in the widest part, which is near the 

 middle of the long axis, and the shape is that of an irregular 

 blunt-ended crescent. It was said to be over eighty feet deep in 

 the deepest part, but no soundings were made by the writer. Its 

 greatest length is from northwest to southeast, with the outlet at 

 the southern end. There are no considerable streams entering 

 it, but at least three small brooks, fed by springs from the sur- 

 rounding hills, were noted flowing in, and the outlet is of such 

 size that a boat may be easily floated on it at high water, although 

 its level is maintained during the summer by a dam about two 

 miles below the lake. The main inlet was not seen by the 

 writer. 



The shore lines are relatively regular, especially on the east 

 and north. sides, the convex side of the crescent, with banks 

 twenty or more feet high close to the water on the east, while on 

 the west side are two rather deeply indented bays. At either 

 end are three small ponds, parasite or daughter-lakes, and sur- 

 rounding the entire shore, except on the eastern side and the 



'Printed by permission of Alfred C. Lane, State Geologist of Michigan. 



498 



