MUSSEL FAUNA OF MAUMEE EIVEE. 



85 



As a usual thing, the muskrat appears to feed on other material, 

 chiefly vegetables, during the summer, beginning its mussel diet more 

 extensively in the autumn, and the first mussels killed are usually 

 small. 



From this station on, piles of shells along the shore indicated mol- 

 luscan life, which would otherwise have escaped notice, and also the 

 presence of muskrats. 



Station 23, Miami and Erie Canal^ 8 miles 'below Grand Rapids^ 

 Ohio. — Here, opposite a farm belonging to Mr. Neifer, a few hauls 

 were made with the dredge, and a single Quadrula pustidosa and 15 

 to 20 Q. undulata were obtained. 



Station 21^. Maumee River ^ 4 'rniles above Waterville, Ohio. — The 

 river here is much wider than at Grand Eapids; there are broad 

 riffles and the bottom is mostly of flat limestone. There are only a 

 few patches of sand in the bottom among the numerous islands, 

 which are covered with willows, water willows, etc. Shells were 

 fairly plentiful where they could obtain a foothold. There are many 

 dead shells on the islands and a few small U. gibbosus and P. elegans 

 on shore freshly killed, probably by a muskrat. 



Station 25, Miami and Erie Canal^ opposite station 2 If. — Two 

 dredge hauls were made in the canal opposite the last station on the 

 river, but only a single example of Anodonta grandis was obtained. 



Station 26. Miami and Erie Ganal^ 1 mile east of Waterville, 

 Ohio. — Just below the bridge which crosses both the canal and the 

 river, 1 mile east of Waterville, Ohio, two dredge hauls were made. 

 The canal here was about 6 feet deep and the bottom was of a rather 

 soft black mud. The Q. undulata were rather inflated, with black 

 epidermis and well covered with the bryozoan Plumatella^ like those 

 taken near Texas, Ohio. 



Station 27. Miami and Erie Canal at Westcott^ Ohio. — At West- 

 cott, Ohio, a small village above Miami, a few dredge hauls were 

 made in the canal, but only one Quadrula lachrymosa and a few 

 Q. undulata were obtained. 



At Miami, which is only 7 miles from Toledo, the Maumee was 

 wide, with but few islands, and deep enough to be navigable for 

 launches, of which there were many in evidence. There were large 

 patches of Nelumho lutea scattered about in the river. The shore 

 was examined for a considerable distance but no shells were found. 

 During low water the riffles are said to extend from Grand Eapids 

 to within a quarter of a mile of Miami ; the shells, therefore, would 

 probably be about the same for the entire distance. 



Station 28. Miami and Erie Canal below Miami^ Ohio. — About a 

 mile below Miami a temporary dam had been thrown across the canal 

 to allow the making of certain repairs in the locks below. This dam 



