10 



of the vegetation from the lakes and the river on the fishing 

 grounds, so that the river is now practically free from vegeta- 

 tion, as is also the main body of Quiver Lake and almost the 

 whole of Thompson's Lake, only a restricted area at the south- 

 ern end retaining its former condition. 



In previous years the field headquarters of the Station have 

 been on Quiver Lake, either at Foster's Landing or at the Indian 

 mounds. In the fall of 1896 the new laboratory boat was 

 l)rought down to town and was stationed at the public landing 

 along the river front. This location has been retained during 

 the last two years with the exception of a week in August, 1898, 

 when the boat was moved up to the Twin Mounds during some 

 continued work upon the plankton and gas analyses in the 

 Illinois River near that point. The advantages of the location 

 at town are the saving of the time required for transit to and 

 from headquarters in the field and the expense of running the 

 launch on these trips, and the ready access to the Station from 

 living quarters at all times, while the distance from the collect- 

 ing grounds is not greatly increased. Some disadvantages attend 

 this location. The sheltered situation and the close proximity 

 to the sand bluff increase the heat in the boat during the hot 

 days in summer, and the nearness to the steamboat landing 

 greatly increases the risk of damage to the boats and launch by 

 the disturbance in the water caused by incoming and outgoing 

 steamboats. Eopes and cavils are frequently broken, and boats 

 are torn loose by the swells which follow in the wake of the 

 larger steamers. On three separate occasions a steamboat in 

 the hands of an old and experienced pilot collided with our 

 flotilla, resulting in the crushing and sinking of the steam 

 launch in one instance, and in the breakage of glassware aboard 

 the laboratory boat at another time. With the considerable and 

 now increasing number of river craft of all sorts seeking tem- 

 porary or permanent anchorage on the river front, we have been 

 gradually crowded to the least desirable location, where the 

 shore is somewhat springy, and where at low water access to 

 our boat is possible only by means of a dike of sand or a trestle- 

 work of planking, owing to the soft mud which is rapidly filling 

 in the river front at this point. At such times our location is 

 neither inviting nor salubrious. The crowding of the Imats and 



