194 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE FARM 
Study 26. Observations at a Spring 
Any clear-flowing permanent spring will do for this study— 
whether “improved” with a basin or a spring-house, or not. A 
time of freshet should be avoided: low water is preferable. 
The individual equipment needed will be a flat dish (like a 
white-enameled vegetable-dish) and a hand dip-net, with, 
possibly, a few vials to hold specimens pending their identi- 
fication. For common use, a pail, a garden-rake and a 
thermometer should be provided. 
The program of work will consist of: 
1. An examination of the spring itself, its water, its bed, 
its topographic situation. 
2. Asurvey of the inhabitants of its waters, both plants 
and animals. The plants may be raked out of the water, and 
certain animals may be picked from them by hand: other 
animals may be picked from stones in the brook-bed or sifted 
from the bottom mud with a dip-net. 
The record of this study may consist of: 
1. Amap of the environs of the spring, including a bit of 
the outflowing brook, showing topography, outcropping 
strata, riffles and pools. 
2. Notes on the spring water, its temperature, color, 
taste, etc. 
3. An annotated list of the population of the water. 
(a) For plants, giving name, kind of plant, growth- 
habit, relative abundance, etc. 
(b) For animals, giving name, kind of animal, situa- 
tion in which found, relative abundance, 
economic importance, etc. 
