DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK
OREGON
Mr. E. C. Solinsky
Superintendent |
F. Lyle Wynd
Acting Park Naturalist |
Ranger Naturalist
H. A. Scullen Clyde Gilbert Norman Ashcraft |
August, 1930 |
Vol. III, No. 2 |
This is one of a series of bulletins issued monthly during the
summer season, by the staff of the Educational Division to give
information on subjects of interest concerning the Natural History of
Crater Lake. It is supplemental to the lectures and field trips
conducted by the staff.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
By F. Lyle Wynd, Acting Park Naturalist
Recently, Dr. John C. Merriam, President of the Carneigie Institute
of Washington, Dr. H. C. Bryant, Assistant to the Director of National
Parks, E. C. Solinsky, Superintendent of Crater Lake National Park, and
the writer were exploring the western portion of the Rim with a view to
selecting sites for the erection of observation stations. In a previous
year Dr. Merriam had seen a ledge of well glaciated rock in the vicinity
of the Devil's Backbone. Dr. Merriam pleased the members of the party
very much by leading them to this interesting relic of the Great Ice
Age.
The surface of the rock was clearly polished and striated by the
great glacier that went down the slopes of the ancient Mount Mazama
between what is now Llao Rock and Hilman Peak. This was probably the
largest and longest glacier that Mt. Mazama ever had. Its path has been
traced far down the Rogue River for many miles.
A deep layer of pumice and other explosive material covered all but
a protruding ledge of what is probably an extensive glaciated surface.
This shows that Mt. Mazama was not yet dead during the Pleistocene or
Great Ice Age.
A fragment was found which could be moved by each of the party
taking turns. This was later placed in the temporary museum. Its surface
is beautifully polished by the ice sliding over it for many centuries.
Running parallel there are several well defined grooves caused by rocks
imbedded in the moving ice.
Bobby
By Norman Ashcraft, Ranger Naturalist
For several reasons Bobby is a very busy creature these days. First
of all, she has five little ones to care for, also her winter quarters
have been disturbed and a new supply of winter provisions must be stowed
away.
Although she has been in the habit of coming to the Information
Bureau for food, for several days after she first brought out her young,
she pretended to be afraid and refused to be humored in any way. The
reason for her pretended timidity was apparently to teach the baby
squirrels the sense of fear. Even with the golden mantle squirrel,
training is a factor in the process of self-preservation. Now that her
babies are well along she is more friendly than ever. The young
squirrels are shifting largely for themselves, although they have not
begun to store food for the winter.
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