4i 



The luxuriance of the verdure of Luna island, like 

 that on the other islands and the main land wherever 

 within reach of the spray, is notable. In winter the 

 spray forms great domes of ice reaching more than half- 

 way up to the top of the falls. They do not obstruct the 

 falling water, but rest upon the great blocks and the Clinton 

 ledge just in front. Often the ice domes do not wholly 

 disappear until June or July. 



From Goat island, those who wish may make the ex- 

 cursion into the Cave of the Winds. From the foot of 

 the stairs the passage leads behind Luna fall to a point 

 below Luna island, returning through the spray in front 

 of Luna fall. Formerly, visitors went behind the north 

 end of the American fall, and it was there that Mark 

 Twain said the he felt as though he had the Atlantic 

 ocean going down his back. 



Fossil Shells (Pleistocene). — When the great cat- 

 aract was situated a mile or two below its present place, 

 Goat island formed a part of the gravelly floor of the river, 

 which at that time flowed over the site of Goat island 

 with a relatively gentle current, probably such a current 

 as now characterizes the river a few miles below Buffalo. 

 The gravelly bottom of the river on Goat island was then 

 a favorite habitat for certain forms of mollusks. Fossil 

 shells occur in great abundance in a gravel pit in the woods 

 near the western end of Goat island. 



In his guide book of 1901, Grabau includes a list of 

 Pleistocene fossils of the Niagara region compiled by 

 Miss Elizabeth J. Letson, of Buffalo. A total of 31 species 

 are given from seven localities. A greater number of 

 species were found on Goat island than at any other place, 

 the number being 28. The localities given are Goat 

 island, Prospect park, Queen Victoria park, Muddy creek, 

 Whirlpool (American side), Whirlpool (Canadian side), 

 and Foster's flats. The species given are as follows: — 



Gastropoda. 



1 Pleurocera subulare Lea 



2 Goniobasis livescens (Menke) 



3 G. livescens niagarensis (Lea) 



4 G. haldemani Tryon 



5 Amnicola limosa (Say) 



6 A. letsoni Walker 



7 Bythinella obtusa (Lea) 



8 Pomatiopsis lapidaria (Say) 



9 Valvata tricarinata Say 



10 V. sincera Say 



11 Campeloma decisa Say 



12 Limnaea columella Say 



13 L. desidiosa Say 



14 L. batascopium Say 



15 Physa heterostropa Say 



16 Planorbis bicarinatus Say 



Pelecypoda. 



17 P. parvus Say 



18 Sphamum striatinum (Lam.) 



19 S. stamineum (Conrad) 



20 Pisidium virginicum Bourg 



21 P. compressum Prime 



22 P. abditum Haldeman 



23 P. ultra-montanum Prime 



24 P. scutellatum Sterki 



25 Lampsilis rectus (Lam.) 



26 L. ellipsiformis (Conrad) 



27 Alasmidonta calceola (Lea) 



28 A. truncata (Wright) 



29 Unio gibbosus Barnes 



30 Quadrula solida (Lea) 



31 Q. coccinda (Conrad) 



