Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-10-25

Professor j. l.. TalmAge Of Salt Lake CITY
has devoted much limo aud attention 10 tho
study Of tho waters Of the Great Salt lake.
IL has been tho general opinion that no furm
Of life existed Ia this briny sea. From Mr.
TalmAge's report | luarh that forty years
ago Dr Yale showed tho solid contents OF
tho lake 20 be g2,2s2 per cont, and tho don-
sity liz, In 1903 Mr.. Allen reported the
water rs containing iigplt por cont solids.
Dr. Tainago analylod tho water In Decen.-
Der. 1855, and found i0,s',s pur cent solid
matter. with a density ~ i.i22a A later
Analysis, In August, 1850. gave tho density
a. i.ii5p. and the sltal solids In solution as
~ Qs5G pet cent " IL fairly safe 10 asssrt
that under tho conditions now prevailing
In the great basin. the waters of
tho lake average from 10 10 IL
per cent solid contsnts ~ would DO
expected. few species of living things
have been found In It, waters yet tho
assertion that NO life exists there Il entirely
unWarrantod. Or. TAlmago vouchua for tho
occurrence Of each Of tho following, most Of
which wore abundant; first-LAryic Of
species OF tho tlpuildw, described as chlr-
ononl, ocoanicus lpaob, Second Larvm
aud pupm VI ophydra gracills Pack. Tho
pupR cases of this insect accumulate In great
numbers upon the shores. whore they
undergo decomposition, with omauAtlou of
very disngreoablc odurs, recognizable ~ a
distance " miles from tho lake. Third
d
nocoler tlhlorl. Fourth. but by far tho
most abundant IL artemla furtills yorrilli,
commonly called the brine shrimp The
structure aud habits OF the aftemiA would
prove a most Interesting subject Of luyest-
cation
These tiny crustaoeans exist In tho lAko In
/ great numbers, aud ofton tint tho waters la
wide areas. After long period OF calm
weather they oungtegate noar the shores,
/ bot rain drives Them Into deop water,
| Professor TAlmage has captured them In
I the lake at every Season, Thoy hro most
/ numerous, however. between May aud No
| yember, during tho whole uf which period
females with pouches allied with eggs may
DO takon. Tho females largely preponder-
ate In numbers, ana they nro worry prolific
They adapt themselves tu very Wide
variation In tho composition ~ tho water,
They have boon taken from tho opuu lake
whom the water, on analysis. showed 10, 90
dissolved solids. Of which amount 1874 per
cent was salti and have been found alive
and active In tho oyaporatlng ponds OF the
salt works, when tho water was nearly sat
uratod with salt Some have been kept
alive for periods varying from olght u
eighteen hours IN fresh water only. Thoy
feed upon the pupW VI n small ny tEph ldru
GfdeiliD which abounds ia tho lake, and
foOd upon salt water algr, which, Ia places
limo the shores OF tho lake, Tho shrlmp'
are found only near tho surface ui tn,
water.
In September. 1909, during cruise upor
the lake Dr. TAlmuge found tho tiny crust
hcsans very abundant with small tow
net no soon gathered a quart by wnshiu.
with frosh water tho excess u lake briu,
WAS removed after which the shrlmps woti
cooked and found 20 be- very paatablu aut
Nutritious Without doubtif these shrimpi
could be probably caught and preserved
they would soon be considered delicNoy
They make up by numbers what they lack II
size Much has been said at different time
as 20 the possibility of accommodating isl
to the lake Ms home. la the absence %
experimental data It would DO rash TO con
jocturo a. 20 tho feasibility NJ euch u plan
but this Il certain, should hsh DO ever TeAru,
In tho lAae ihnlr food bunnlY Is Amule