Rcscarclics relating to tJic Great Lakes. — Spender. 1 19 
ing of the land. Prior to the existence of these separate 
bodies of water, higher shore-hnes were formed, and the 
great gulf or lake bounded by them was called the Warren 
water, which name the writer has defined as applicable to the 
great open water of the region, until after the formation of 
the Forest beach — its most perfect episode — after which it 
was dismembered into the Algonquin and Lundy waters.* 
During the changing stages of Warren water, its configura- 
tion was somewhat varied but not sufBciently to call the water 
])y a multiplicity of names, according to the changing levels. 
The old shore lines form prominent features, requiring 
nomenclature for the most important. And additional nam- 
ing only adds confusion. Some of the beaches have been re- 
named by Mr. Leverett, \ contrary to the usage of naturalists. 
With the continued elevation of the land, the Algonquin 
water sunk to the level of the Nipissing beach (of Taylor) and 
the Lundy became dismembered, and formed an insignificant 
lake Erie. J In the Ontario basin, the water sunk to the Iro- 
quois beach and lower levels, and Niagara falls had their 
birth, after the river had first been a strait. Remnants of 
l^eaches of that time were long ago observed, not only in the 
vicinity of Niagara, but also at the head of the lake. With 
the temporary pauses recorded, the waters of the upper level 
were speedily lowered to that of the Iroquois beach, and then 
the Niagara river descended only 200 feet, in place of 326 feet, 
as at present. The efifect of this diminished descent upon the 
excavating power of the falls was first pointed out by the 
writer in 1888^ and published in 1889. With the continued 
lowering of the waters in Ontario basin, the descent of the 
Niagara increased to 80 feet more than at present, as first 
shown by Prof. Gilbert ; but later, by the tilting of the earth's 
crust north of the Adirondack mountains, the outlet of the 
Ontario basin was raised, causing the backing of the waters, 
so as to reduce the descent of Niagara river to its present 
amount. 
*High-kYel shores in the region of the Great Lakes, etc, cited be- 
fore. 
tOn the correlation of tlic New York moraines with the raised 
l)eaches of lake Erie, by Frank Lcvcrctt. Am. Jour. Sci., vol. L, 1895, 
pp. 1-20. 
jProc. A. A. A. S., 1888, p. 199. 
,§The Iroquois Beach, etc. Trans. Roy, Soc. Can., 1889, p. 132. 
