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BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
D. — Washita River Basin. ! 
IX. — Washita or Ouachita River ; j 
1 . Washita River at Crystal Springs, Ark. 
2. Caddo River at Caddo Gap and Black Springs. 
3. South Fork of the Ouachita at Mount Ida. 
4. Mazaru Creek near Myers, Ark. ' I 
5. Myers Creek near Myers. 
6. West Fork of Saline River, 24 miles west of Hot Springs. | 
A.— BASm OF THE MISSOURI RIVER. | 
I. — THE MERAMEO RIVER. j 
The Meramec River rises near the southern border' af Dent County, Mo. Its course 
is northeasterly, and it empties into the Mississippi River about 40 miles south of the 
Missouri River. The Meramec, together with many of its southern and western trib- | 
utaries, have their origin in a considerably elevated portion of the Ozark Mountains, 1 
and in a cherty limestone region which is well supplied with springs. \ 
We visited the Meramec River near St. James, Mo. At this point it is a beautiful I 
stream of clear water flowing over a bottom of shingle and sand. The water was I 
quite low on account of dry weather. In places the river was less than 40 feet wide | 
and less than 4 feet deep. The river shows evidence of being a torrent in times of 
high water, and containing many times the volume of water it had during our visit. ' 
The Meramec Spring is about 5 miles south and east of St. James. It is one of the 
largest springs in Missouri. The water flows from a large fissure at the foot of a ' 
cliff, and forms a stream larger than the Meramec River itself at the time of our visit. 
The spring is about 1 mile from the river; its outlet contains much vegetation, and 
its bottom for the most part is muddy. The left side of the Meramec River, below | 
the mouth of the spring outlet, has a muddy bottom, and contains much vegetation. - 
The temperature of the water at the spring was 56° Fah. About 100 rods below the 
spring the temperature was 57° Fah. More than fifty years ago a dam was thrown 
across the spring outlet, near the spring, and a portion ot the water was used to run 
the machinery of an ironworks having sufficient capacity to furnish employment for 
about one hundred men. The motor used was a large breast- wheel. The water from 
the spring is very clear. 
The Big Dry Fork of the Meramec River was visited between St. James and the 
Meramec Spring, and the Little Dry Fork near Rolla, Mo. In these two streams the 
currents are sluggish, and the bottom is more or less muddy, with occasional stretches 
of sand and gravel. At the time we were there the streams were not much more than 
a series of deep holes, with little running water between them. The temperature of 
Big Dry Fork was 85° Fah. ; of Little Dry Fork, 79° Fah. 
1, Ammoccetes branchialis (Linuseus). 
One larval specimen was taken from among the weeds in the Meramec River a 
short distance below the mouth of the Meramec Spring outlet. 
2. Ameiurus uatalis (Le Sueur). 
Anal rays, 24 to 25 ; base of anal, in the length of the body. Three specimens 
from Little Dry Fork. 
