147 



Seneca Snakeroot, Polygala senega, several fine plants being 

 noticed. In an adjoining field was a grove of Lorix laricina, the 

 American Larch, most of the trees appearing about fifty years old. 



At I kill's Bridge the gorge was entirely disclosed since the 

 recent dry si)ell did not allow any surplus water to spill over the 

 dam a quarter of a mile upstream. The whole limestone bed of the 

 river is jjitted and pock marked b\- liundreds of potholes some- 

 times as much as ten feet acrcjss and about as deep. Many, having 

 filled with rain water, contained hundreds of moscjuito wrigglers. 

 The sight of all these embryo disturbers of humanity filled us with 

 great respect for the region. Various entomostraceans were also 

 abundant in the water and it would appear that the Microscopical 

 Societ}- could get with little trouble many interesting specimens 

 from these water-filled potholes and set up apparatus on the rocks 

 nearby where there is plenty of light and room. 



The banks of the one time seething gorge were carpeted in 

 many places by Taxus cajiadoisis, the Canadian Yew. Patches 

 thirty feet across were not uncommon. Another plant, Cystoptcris 

 biilbifcra. the Bladder Fern, was as common as Polypody is in 

 the Ramapos. Along the cool, moist, shaded banks it flourished 

 in long continuous patches. The party followed an old wood road 

 north of the covered bridge on the west bank of the gorge. One 

 single specimen of Polygonatum commutatwn, the Great Solomon's 

 Seal, was found just ready to bloom. It stood about six feet tall 

 and was one of the finds of the trip. Near the dam a lone Juniperus 

 communis, the Common Jumper, spread over an area thirty feet 

 in diameter. One of the branches which grew at least tw^elve feet 

 high was about five inches in diameter. Hemlocks and Cherry 

 Birch were crowding the shrub and it seemed that the immediate 

 vicinity had been drier and more open when the shrub conmienced 

 growing. 



Tilia amcricana, the Linden, was very abundant indicating that 

 this region might be a good bee country when the trees are in 

 bloom. They seemed to be more common than in most localities 

 of the local area. 



The jjarty flushed a mother partridge with chicks about a 

 week old. The leader caught one of the chicks and the mother all 

 fluft'ed up and uttering a shrill continuous cry approached to 

 within three feet of her chick. 



