. The natural history of the farm; a guide to the practical study of the sources of our living in wild nature. Natural history. 192 NATURAL HISTORY OP THE FARM and sparkling, of a low and constant temperature, with a low oxygen content, and, owing to prolonged contact with the soil, with a high mineral content that varies much according tp the character of the soil traversed. Deposits of sulphur and of iron are often formed about the mouths of mineral springs. But where the ordinary spring bubbles up, one usually sees only miniature deltas of clean-washed sand at the bottom of a limpid pool, w
. The natural history of the farm; a guide to the practical study of the sources of our living in wild nature. Natural history. 192 NATURAL HISTORY OP THE FARM and sparkling, of a low and constant temperature, with a low oxygen content, and, owing to prolonged contact with the soil, with a high mineral content that varies much according tp the character of the soil traversed. Deposits of sulphur and of iron are often formed about the mouths of mineral springs. But where the ordinary spring bubbles up, one usually sees only miniature deltas of clean-washed sand at the bottom of a limpid pool, which clears itself quickly after roiling. Spring water has a population of its own. Man and bird and beast are transient visitors who only quaff its waters; but there are other creatures, that permanently dwell in them. They are things that cannot endure too great heat in summer or freezing in winter: things that like low equable temperature and partial shade. The most characteristic plant that grows in spring water is water cress (fig. 74); it was used by the pioneer to garnish his meat platter, and it is still so used. There are water- mosses, also suited to such a habitat, and many lesser algae of various kinds, both green and brown. There are animals, also, that live in spring water; such are the salamander shown in figure 75, and the brook trout, which does its best in water not warmer than 60° F., and. many other lesser creatures. Most of the great groups of animals are represented there, if by only a few forms: crustaceans; by the scuds, clamb- ering over and feeding upon the water-cress, and by asellus, wallowing in the soft bottom of the pools (fig. 20); molluscs, by little white clams (half an inch long, more or less), of the genus Spharium, furrowing the. Pig. 74. A leaf of Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not
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