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MINNESOTA BOTANICAL STUDIES 



eastward for about 75 or 80 miles and empties into the Middle Loup 

 at Dunning. This is the only stream of any size, then, that has its 

 origin and completes its course wholly within the sandhill region. 



The Dismal has cut a deep canyon in a number of places along 

 its course extending from the high, steep hills upon either side far 

 below into the more resistant Loup Fork Beds. The sides of this 



Fig. 4. Topographic features. A township within one of the lake centers. 

 Note the lakes, marshes, meadows and ranges of hills. Contour 

 interval 20 feet. (Somewhat idealized.) 



canyon are sometimes almost perpendicular, while elsewhere the 

 banks are not so wide or precipitous and then more or less covered 

 by trees and other woody vegetation. Almost inaccessible jungles 

 exist in the moister years along the Dismal in the heart of the sand- 

 hills. Now and then the stream leaps over a ledge of rock in its 

 bed producing a waterfall a few feet in height. Where the course 

 is more open, the Dismal has produced many meanders and cut-offs. 

 In addition to the Dismal, the Calamus is an important tribu- 

 tary of the Loup River coming into the North Loup from the north- 

 ern portion of the region. 



