THE WONDERFUL FOSSIL BEDS OF OREGON. 609 



or canons, sloping into the basin. On the north and northeast of the basin 

 the ascent is more gradual, but at a distance presenting an uninterrupted 

 barrier. The surface of this basin is comparatively level, being subject, 

 however, to slight inequalities in the form of hillocks or low ridges rising 

 but a few feet. 



The soil, if we may venture to call it soil, seems to be composed of light 

 sand and volcanic ash, with a percentage of vegetable mould, into which a 

 horse will frequently sink to his fetlocks, ]^ear the center of this basin, 

 and abou': IS miles from Silver Lake, in a northeast direction, is 'Christ- 

 mas Lake;" 8 miles from Christmas Lake, in the same direction, and appa- 

 rently on the same level, are Fossil Lakes. About 5 miles further on, in 

 the same direction, are two springs of tolerably good water. These springs 

 are about half a mile apart. I heard the most northerly called Duncan's 

 Spring, and we called the other Mound Spring. The rocks about Silver 

 Lake and Summer Lake, where stratified, appear to dip to the north. 



From 20 to 40 miles in a northwest direction from the Fossil Lakes, set 

 in the lava mountains or rather mountains of iav.a. It would seem that 

 these fossil remains might have remained buried from 4 to 10 feet in the 

 earth, and, therefore, unknown to the prying eye of the antiquarian, but 

 for the action of the wind. There seems to be a constant current of wind 

 from the southwest. All that space where the bones are found appears to 

 bo scooped out to the depth of several feet, and carried, some of it, to a dis- 

 tance of from 5 to 10 miles, where it is piled up in every conceivable form, 

 evidently by the action of the wind; conclusive evidence of this is found 

 in the numerous little mounds still remaining, and able to resist the action 

 of the wind by the aid of the. roots of some more vigorous bunch of sage 

 or greasewood. These mounds present a beautiful example of stratified 

 formation, often 5 or G strata, ranging from 3 to 8 inches in thickness, very 

 clearly marked. On the lower levels of this excavation are where the fos- 

 sils are found. We found fossil bones of the elephant camel, horse, and 

 elk or reindeer, the horse being much more abundant than either of the 

 others, but all being so clearly marked as to leave no doubt of their identi- 

 ty. There were other bones, apparently of large animals, but your corres- 

 pondent wa8_unable to name the animal they once belonged to. Among 

 the fossils i^ound the smaller quadrujjeds had a representation; bones an- 

 swering in size to the fox and wolf were found, also others answering to 

 the sheep or goat in size and appearance. Eemains of birds were vei'y plen- 

 tiful, some very large, others quite small. Waders, swimmers, scratchers, 

 and probably climbers, were recognized. The vertebrse or backbones of 

 fish, or some other animal with a backbone like the fish, are found in great 

 plenty; also bones like nothing I ever saw before, therefore, I vf^ill not un- 

 dertake to describe them. 



The fossil remains lie scattered over the earth for a distance of 4 or 5 

 miles in the direction of northeast and southwest, the strip being probably 

 a mile wide. Near the southwest end of the deposit are two small lakes or 



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