242 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [MARCH 
Lake Maxinkuckee 
The Department of Conservation of the state of Indiana has recently pub- 
lished a remarkable monograph on Lake Maxinkuckee, a physical and geologi- 
cal survey by EVERMANN and CLARK.? Lake Maxinkuckee is a small glacial 
lake similar to thousands of other lakes in the northern Mississippi Valley 
states, and because of this similarity any study of Lake Maxinkuckee or 
conclusions drawn therefrom would be typical of other lakes in this region. 
The work was begun and chiefly financed by a bureau of the United States 
government, now known as the Bureau of Fisheries. There is a general feel- 
ing of surprise and disappointment that the results were not published by the 
United States government. The Department of Conservation of Indiana, 
however, is to be congratulated, not only for the excellent manner in which 
the monograph is published, but also for having saved it from the shelves of 
discarded manuscripts. The monograph is more than a simple study of the 
lake, for it treats of the animal and plant life of the lake, as well as the physical 
surroundings and the life around it and in the air above it. It gives a vivid 
presentation of the physical, hydrographic, and meteorological features which 
belong to the lake, and a record of the animal and vegetable life in and about it. 
The physical conditions discussed relate to the location, altitude, size, 
and form of the lake, and the character of the surrounding coun list 
of the streams which feed the lake is given, as well as a most interesting account 
of the ice beach. Under hydrography is discussed the depth of the lake, the 
the formation of the ice. The most interesting paragraph in this chapter 
relates to the turning over of the lake each fall. Although this phenomenon 
was not actually observed, it was shown by an elaborate series of soundings 
just when the change must have taken place. Emphasis, however, is given 
to the biological features, to which two-thirds of the first volume and all of 
the second are devoted. The largest part of the biology of course is given 
to the fishes, since this was the primary object of the investigation. It 
is stated that 64 species were found in Lake Maxinkuckee. These are all 
described fully, with many interesting notes on their habits and food value, 
while there are many suggestions about angling. Many of the fishes are 
illustrated in color. Thirty species of mammals are recorded, and there 
are interesting notes about all of them, especially the two species of wolves 
which once inhabited this part of Indiana, and the disappearance of the beaver 
and porcupine is noted. Much attention is given to the birds and especially 
? EVERMANN, B, W., and Crark, H. W., Lake Maxinkuckee, Vol. 1. pp- 660. 
pls. 36. fig. 23. Vol. 2. pp. 582. 1920. 
