54 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



with what are known as "disappearing lakes" and witnessed the 

 disappearance and reappearance of two of them — Lake Iamonia, 18 

 miles north of Tallahassee, and Alachua Lake (also known as Paynes 

 Prairie) 4 miles east of Gainesville. Under normal conditions these 

 lakes of considerable area are filled with clear water and abound in 

 fish of various kinds. In most instances after disappearing they refill 

 slowly, depending upon the rainfall ; some have remained dry for 

 years. I have seen fish lying dead by the thousand in the beds of these 

 lakes after the water has drained. The area surrounding these sinks is 

 more or less cavernous, with perhaps developed channels for a greater 



Fig. 52. — The beach at low tide, Daytona, Fla. 



or less distance in the subsurface limestone. Thus the small area of 

 surface water and the subsurface solution channels afford a harboring 

 place for a number of the fish and other aquatic life until such time 

 as the lake refills. 



It so happened that during part of my stay at Tallahassee and 

 vicinity the weather was cool and the turtles did not show themselves 

 very often, but with the help of "Mose," a local farmer, and a leaky 

 rowboat, I managed to collect a total of 12 turtles at Lake Iamonia, 

 and with the cooperation of Dr. Gunter and Mr. Simpson, about 20 

 turtles from near Tallahassee. Altogether I obtained 28 turtles and 

 1,862 fish, among which were two large-mouth black bass weighing 

 10 pounds 2 ounces and 10 pounds 3 ounces respectively and con- 

 sidered very fine specimens. 



