Nature Notes
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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.

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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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26-Dec-2001