Year: 1877

WA VA

 (Oregon) Guard gives the following

 account of a visit made last June by

 himself and another person to the so-

 called fossil beds of Lake County, that

 State: HSilver Lake and Summer Lake

 both lie on the confines of the great

 desert, by the crossing of which so much

 suffering was experienced by some of the early Oregon pioneers, the desert lying north and east of these lakes. Silver Lake is encompassed by rim

 rock,' except on the northwest. On the east there is gap which leads into a basin nearly circular, and which is probably thirty miles in diameter. This basin is surrounded by rim-rock on the south, southwest and west, rising to the height of several hundred feet, with occasional breaks or canons sloping into the basin. On the north and northeast of the basin the the ascent is more gradual, but at a distance pre- senting an uninterrupted barrier. The surface of this basin is comparatively level, being subject, however, to slight inequalities in the form of hillocks or or low ridges but few feet, the whole heavily set with sage Cor artemisie), greaseWood, add other small but kindred groWths. The soil, if we may call it soil, scenes to be composed of light sand and volcanic ash, with per- centage of vegetable mould, into which horse will frequently sink to his fetlocks. Near the centre of this basin, and about eighteen miles from Silver Lake, in the northeast direction, is Christmas Lake'; eight miles from Christmas Lake in the same direction, and apparently on the same level, are the Fossil Lakes. About five miles farther on. in the same direction, are two springs of tolerably good water. These springs are about half a mile apart. I heard the most northerlv called Duncan's Spring, and we called the other Mound Spring. The rocks about Silver Lake and Summer Lake, where stratified, appear to dip to the north. From twenty to forty miles in north west direction from the Fossil Lakes, set in the lava mountains, or rather mountains of lava. It would seem that these fossil remains might have remained buried from four to ten | feet in the earth, and, therefore, un- known to the prying eyes of the anti quarian, but for the action of the wind. There seems to be constant current of wind from the southwest. All that space where bones are found appears to be scooped out to the depth of several feet, and carried, some of it, to distance of from five to ten miles, where it is piled up in every conceivable form, evidently by the action of the wind ; conclusive evidence of this is found in the numerous little mounds still remain ing and able to resist the action of the wind by the aid of the roots of some more vigorous bunch of sage or grease wood. These mounds present a beauti- full example of stratified formation, often five or six strata, ranging from three to eight inches in thicknes, very clearly marked. On the lower levels of this excavation are where ths fossils are found. We found fossil bones of the elephant, camel, horse and elk or reindeer, the horse being much more abundant than either of the others, but all being so clearly marked as to leave no doubt as to their identity. There were other bones, apparently of large animals, but your correspondent was unable to name the animal they once belonged to. Among the fossils fouud, the smaller quadrupeds had a representation; bones answering in size to the fox and wolf were found; also also others answering to the sheep or goat in size and appearance. Remains