Part 1

THE KANSAS UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN.

(VOL. I, NO. 1—FEBRUARY, 1902. Whole Series, Vol. XI, No. 1.)

CONTENTS:

I.—DISTRIBUTION OF KANSAS CRAYFISHES (with Map), _J. Arthur Harris_.

II.—OBSERVATIONS ON POLLINATION OF SOLANUM ROSTRATUM DUNAL AND CASSIA CHAMÆCRISTA L. (with Plate), _J. Arthur Harris_ and _Oscar M. Kuchs_.

PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY,

LAWRENCE, KAN.

Price of this number, 30 cents.

Entered at the post-office in Lawrence as second-class matter.

KANSAS UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN.

VOL. I, NO. 1. FEBRUARY, 1902. { WHOLE SERIES, { VOL. XI, NO. 1.

DISTRIBUTION OF KANSAS CRAYFISHES.

BY J. ARTHUR HARRIS.

With map.

In the brief paper here presented, it is my purpose to bring up to date my catalogue of the crayfishes of Kansas[A] by the addition of such localities and notes as have been collected since its appearance; to represent by means of a map the distribution by counties of the different species, and to show, so far as is possible at the present time, the distribution of the different species by river systems. The distribution by river systems has been included, since I feel that a thorough knowledge of this phase of the subject will be of interest in the determination of the phylogenetic relationship of the different species. Of course, any conclusions as to the distribution of the species by water systems can be only provisional, since more systematic collecting will surely change any such conclusions. It is my desire to put the data available at present into such form that the addition of new data and the deduction of more certain conclusions will be possible with the least amount of labor.

The form of the annotated catalogue has, as far as possible, been retained. No new species have been found in the state, and there has been practically no new literature of a taxonomic nature since the appearance of the catalogue. The synonomy has, therefore, been omitted. In referring to localities reported in the previous paper I shall designate them by numbers enclosed in parentheses, _C. virilis_, (3), the number being that of the locality as given in that paper—the example given being: _C. virilis_, Wabaunsee county (coll. Washb. Coll.), J. B. Fields, coll. (Faxon, ’85, b.)

I wish to express here my gratitude to my sister, Nellie Harris, without whose kind assistance in this and other work the appearance of this material at the present time would have been impossible. My thanks are also due those who have collected material in various parts of the state.

The greater part of the material belongs to the private collection of the writer, but is deposited at the present time in the museum of the University of Kansas.

=1. Cambarus simulans= Faxon.

I have not seen either of the two lots of material assigned to this species. It will be seen that the territory from which it is reported, while much the same as that from which is taken the material provisionally assigned to _C. gallinas_, lies a little to the west and extends north beyond the Smoky Hill river, while the material provisionally reported as _gallinas_ is confined, so far, to the territory drained by the Arkansas.

=2. Cambarus gallinas= Cockerell and Porter.

As in my catalogue, I assign only provisionally to this species material from:

3. A stream near Wichita, Sedgwick county; Mr. Willis Henderson, coll.

4. A slough northeast of Caldwell, Sumner county; T. J. Kinnear, coll.

Mr. Kinnear’s material was taken at a small slough four miles northeast of Caldwell. The slough had been dry all summer. It will be remembered that the drought of the summer of 1901 was very severe, but a spring a little distance from the edge still contained a little pool of water, perhaps three feet in diameter, although it had ceased to run into the slough. In this little pool of water a few small crayfish, about one inch in length, were noticed; while none of the small specimens were taken, they undoubtedly belong to the same species as the eight adults secured at the same place.

The specimens were secured in digging a well in the old spring. They had burrowed down through the loose surface soil for from six to thirty-six inches, depending upon whether the burrows were at the center or on the edge of the old basin of the spring. The burrows, which were about two inches in diameter, went down almost perpendicularly until they came to the surface of a stratum of Wellington shale. Here they were enlarged into almost round chambers, about ten inches in diameter and not more than three inches in height. The burrows were supplied with “chimneys” above. In these chambers the crayfish were found. They were not very active or pugnacious. The whole burrow was, of course, filled with water. The crayfish had burrowed down a little ways into the rather disintegrated shale. The excavations into the shale were conical, about four inches in diameter at the top and four inches deep. Mr. Kinnear thought that, as the shale was somewhat softened by the water, the crayfish had removed it bit by bit. There were about three or four of the main burrows coming from the upper surface terminating in the large chambers as described above. These chambers were then connected by passageways running from one to another.

Two of the specimens were taken August 1, and the other six August 25-27. Two were males and the other six females. All the females were, with one exception, well loaded with eggs, which appear, from an examination with a hand lens, to be in a very early stage of development, and have probably been only comparatively recently laid.

So far as reported, this species is confined to a narrow strip of territory running north for about eighty miles from the southern boundary of the state and drained by the Arkansas river.

=3. Cambarus gracilis= Bundy.

Specimens of this species are hard to obtain, and this doubtless accounts for its few localities. It is found in the territory drained by the Arkansas (1) as well as that drained by the Kansas river (2).

In August, 1901, I found an adult female of _C. gracilis_ in a stagnant pond near Lawrence—the only time I have ever taken an adult specimen in open water during the summer.

=4. Cambarus diogenes= Girard.

Reported so far only from a limited territory along the Kansas and Missouri rivers, in the northeastern part of the state. As with _C. gracilis_, the difficulty of obtaining material probably accounts for the rarity of the reports on this species.

=5. Cambarus immunis= Hagen.

Mr. Crevecœur collected _C. immunis_ in a stagnant pond on the prairie near Onaga, Pottawatomie county, April 1, 1901.

The pond had been in existence about six years, and had never been known to go dry. The nearest creek was about a quarter of a mile away. They were probably never connected when the water was high in the creek. No fish had ever been taken in the pond, but specimens of _Amblystoma tigrinum_ (green) were found. (_A. tigrinum_ and _C. immunis_ are sometimes found in the same ponds in Douglas county.)

Among a dozen specimens given to me, some of the females were carrying eggs but none were noticed with young.

Mr. Crevecœur drained the pond in obtaining the material, and was careful to secure a representative collection. If _C. gracilis_ were common in the region, it would not be improbable that females would be found in the pond at this time.

Reports so far would indicate a distribution of this species from the Missouri river west along the Kansas and its tributaries nearly two-thirds the distance across the state.

=5a. Cambarus immunis Hagen, var. spinorostris= Faxon.

The limits of distribution are embraced within those given for _C. immunis_.

=6. Cambarus nais= Faxon.

So far as reported, this species is confined to the southeastern portion of the state, drained by the tributaries of the Arkansas river.

=7. Cambarus virilis= Hogue.

23. Wakarusa river, Douglas county.

24. Bull Foot creek, Lincoln county. Taken under stones, in about six inches of running water. Miss Ella Weeks, coll.

25. Spillman creek, Lincoln county. Under stones, in shallow running water. Miss Ella Weeks, coll.

26. Wildcat creek, about two miles west of Manhattan, Riley county.

27. Crayfish are not at all common in the lower part of the Kansas river, at least near Lawrence, where I have had opportunity to observe it. The fishermen, as a rule, say there are none in the river. I have, however, seen the casts of _C. virilis_, and think it hardly probable that they could have washed in from any of the small tributaries.

No. 18 was collected in a small stream.

=8. Cambaras rusticus= Girard.

Reported only from Osage river.

=9. Cambaras pilosus= Hay.

This somewhat questionable species has been reported from two localities comparatively close together in the north-central portion of the state.

Mr. Sutton informs me that his material (2) was collected in Kelos Fork, a “wet weather” stream of fresh water which flows into Salt creek, which empties into the Saline river about four or five miles from where the specimens were taken. At the time the material was taken there was no water flowing from the pools into the creek. During the summer of 1901, Mr. Sutton took material from a well about five feet in depth, near the above region. The water from the pools would overflow into the well when the water was high.

=10. Cambaras neglectus= Faxon.

4. Wildcat creek, about two miles west of Manhattan, Riley county. Collected with the specimens of _C. virilis_ mentioned above. Presented by J. N. Westgate.

_C. neglectus_, so far as reported, is quite closely confined to the Republican river valley. The Republican river drains Cheyenne (2) and Decatur (3) counties. Mill creek (1), in Wabaunsee county, empties into the Kansas river about fifty miles east of the Republican. Cat creek (4) empties into the Kansas river about twelve miles from the Republican. Tributaries of the Republican approach to within six miles of the upper part of Cat creek, but I know nothing of the nature of the country separating these streams.

With the exception of the Republican river, in Cheyenne county (2), _C. virilis_ has also been taken from all the above localities.

The Republican river, in Cheyenne county, wherever I have seen it, is a shallow stream, perhaps 50 to 100 feet wide, with a bed of loose sand. It sometimes, though rarely, goes dry in places so far as the surface is concerned, but it is said that water can always be found by digging a few inches into the sand of the bed.

During the early part of June, 1901, while near Springfield, Greene county, Missouri, I had the opportunity of making a few observations on the habits of _C. neglectus_. In the James river, near Galloway, about eight miles southeast of Springfield, this was the only species observed, although probably not the only one occurring in the river. At this place the James river is a rather swift-flowing stream, with a rocky bed and with rather high wooded hills along the sides. The stream is quite shallow in the swiftly running places. The crayfish were quite abundant, being found under the loose stones and resting in the strands of the rich vegetation, which stood almost horizontal in the swiftly flowing water.

The specimens were very plentiful around Boiling Springs, a place where one of the cold, underground rivulets of the region breaks through the rocks in the bottom of the stream.

In a clear, rocky stream,[B] shallow in most places, flowing between high hills, about four miles northwest of Springfield, crayfish were found in abundance. The smaller and by far the more numerous species was _C. neglectus_. The animals were very active, darting from stone to stone when disturbed, but usually remaining under cover but a short time.

In a stream flowing from Galloway Cave, at Galloway, Greene county, _C. neglectus_ and _C. rusticus_ were taken. At the mouth of the cave, _C. neglectus_ was by far the more abundant, if not the only species, being found in great abundance under loose stones at the very mouth. The water here has practically the same temperature as that on the inside. The temperature on the inside of the cave is said to remain at fifty-seven degrees F. winter and summer. The animals were very inactive, the cold water, apparently, numbing them to such an extent that it was not at all difficult to take them with the hand.[C] A little distance down the stream, where the water was much warmer, the animals were noticed to be as active as ever.

A striking effect of the low temperature was noticed in the effect on the hatching of the eggs. Many of the females taken at the mouth of the cave carried eggs or recently hatched young, while none of those taken in the other localities were found with young at all. I believe I found young crayfish which had but recently left the female in the vegetation near Boiling Springs, in the James river.

In the table following, the distribution by river systems of the different species is given. For convenience, the rivers of the state from which material has been reported have been arranged as follows:

MISSOURI RIVER KANSAS RIVER BIG BLUE RIVER REPUBLICAN RIVER SOLOMON RIVER SALINE RIVER SMOKY HILL RIVER OSAGE RIVER ARKANSAS RIVER MEDICINE LODGE RIVER CHIKASKIA RIVER LITTLE ARKANSAS RIVER

The tributaries of any stream are arranged in order, beginning with the lower and passing towards the upper portion of the stream. Those tributaries emptying outside the state are designated by an asterisk.

When it is impossible to determine from which of two or more streams a lot of material is reported, as is often the case when the localities given is a country traversed or drained by two rivers, or a town situated on some large stream, or where two streams join, it is reported from each, with the catalogue number followed by a question mark. Of course, in the greater number of these cases, the species will be found to occur in greater or less numbers in each locality. The one thing to be desired is, that collectors would furnish full data with their material.

Whenever possible, the name of the stream from which material was taken is given. When this is not possible, the term “tributary” is used. As a general rule, the tributaries are streams emptying directly into the river under which they are placed, and the only exceptions to this, I believe, are the tributaries of the Arkansas arising in the southeastern corner of the state. Stagnant ponds in the region drained by a stream have been classed as tributaries, even through they have no direct connection.

The above method of classifying the water systems of the state will, very possibly, be found not the best for a final arrangement, but for a preliminary classification—and nothing more than a preliminary arrangement can be hoped for at present—it seems quite satisfactory.

MISSOURI RIVER, _C. virilis_, (5?). Tributaries, _C. virilis_, (5?), (22), (20?); _C. diogenes_, (1); _C. immunis_, (1).

KANSAS RIVER, _C. virilis_, (3?), (6?), (11?). Tributaries, _C. virilis_, (1), (3?), (6?), (11), (18), (20); _C. gracilis_, (2); _C. diogenes_, (2); C. immunis, (2); _C. immunis_, var. _spinorostris_, (2).

WAKARUSA RIVER, _C. virilis_, (23). Rock creek, _C. virilis_, (14). Washington creek, _C. virilis_, (15). Coon creek, _C. virilis_, (16). Wildhorse creek, _C. virilis_, (17). Ward’s creek, _C. virilis_, (2); _C. immunis_, var. _spinorostris_, (1). Mill creek, _C. neglectus_, (1). Wildcat creek, _C. virilis_, (26); _C. neglectus_, (4).

REPUBLICAN RIVER, _C. virilis_, (7); _C. neglectus_, (2). Sappa creek, _C. virilis_, (9); _C. neglectus_, (3).

SOLOMON RIVER, _C. pilosus_, (1?). Tributaries, _C. pilosus_, (1?)

SMOKY HILL RIVER. Big creek, or tributary to it, _C. simulans_, (2); _C. immunis_, (2); _C. virilis_, (8).

SALINE RIVER. Bullfoot creek, _C. virilis_, (24). Spillman creek, _C. virilis_, (25). A tributary of Salt creek, _C. pilosus_, (2).

OSAGE RIVER, _C. virilis_, (10); _C. rusticus_, (1).

ARKANSAS RIVER, _C. virilis_, (4?). *Tributaries, _C. nais_, (1); _C. gracilis_, (1). Tributaries, _C. virilis_, (4?); _C. gallinas_, (3). *Coal creek, _C. nais_, (2). *Labette creek, _C. virilis_, (21).

CHIKASKIA RIVER. Tributary, _C. virilis_, (9); _C. gallinas_, (2), (4).

LITTLE ARKANSAS RIVER. Tributary, _C. gallinas_, (1).

MEDICINE LODGE RIVER. Tributary, _C. simulans_, (1).

LABORATORY OF ZOOLOGY AND HISTOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS.

FOOTNOTES:

[A] Harris, J. Arthur: Annotated catalogue of the crayfishes of Kansas. Kans. Univ. Quart., vol. IX, No. 4, October, 1900.

[B] I am not sure, in a trip across country, which of the two creeks, which flow together in this vicinity, I examined.

[C] The water here is probably not more than fifteen degrees above that in which _C. virilis_ was found to be so numb as to be almost incapable of movement. See Harris, Annotated Catalogue.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE POLLINATION

Of Solanum rostratum Dunal and Cassia chamæcrista L.

BY J. ARTHUR HARRIS AND OSCAR M. KUCHS.

With Plate I.

In 1882 Professor Todd published his interesting observations[D] on the pollination of _Solanum rostratum_ and _Cassia chamæcrista_. Since that time, so far as the writers are aware, nothing has appeared upon this subject. During the months of August and September, 1901, opportunity was afforded the writers for making more extended observations on these species. The notes here given are the result of these observations. In some respects, these observations, or the conclusions drawn from them, differ essentially from those made by Professor Todd; in others they are practically the same. The writers feel that, even where observations or conclusions are the same, the confirmation of Professor Todd’s results is of value, since the data have been collected in a different locality and a different year.

It must be borne in mind that the lack of agreement between the observations in the present paper with those made by Professor Todd is probably largely due to the inferior quality of his material. _S. rostratum_ had been but recently introduced into southern Iowa when Professor Todd’s article was written. It apparently did not thrive very well, the greatest number of flowers mentioned as appearing on any one plant being ten—a very small number to be produced by a plant of any considerable size. While also an introduced plant in eastern Kansas, it has been long and well established, and grows luxuriantly.[E]

The data upon which the conclusions here given are based have been given largely in tabulated form. For the present purpose, it might have been sufficient to give only the summarized results of some of the tables. They have, however, been inserted in full, since the writers hope that they may be useful in future work on these plants, and since they believe that the collection of carefully prepared statistical data of this kind is very valuable for the decision of some biological questions.

The writers wish to express their gratitude to W.C. Stevens, professor of botany, for suggestions on the work, and to Hugo Kahl, entomologist of the University of Kansas, for the identification of the insects. The drawings were made by Miss Marguerite E. Wise.

_S. rostratum_ is a low, spreading, bushy annual, sometimes attaining a diameter of four or five feet and a height of one and one-half feet.[F] The pinnately lobed leaves, as well as other parts of the plant, are beset with strong prickles. It seems to be especially adapted to arid regions, thriving on the dry plains of the Southwest.[G]

The material studied by the writers grew, for the most part, in clayey soil, around old stone-quarries on Mount Oread, a projection of the Kaw river bluffs. A brief examination was made of material growing in waste places in St. Joseph, Mo.

During the very severe drought, which extended up to August, _S. rostratum_ was one of the few plants which were apparently uninjured and blossomed with any considerable vigor. The most of the observations were made after the drought was broken by the rain of August 9, when the plants were in the height of their flowering season.

The flower has a somewhat irregular, wheel-shaped, gamopetalous corolla, bright yellow in color. Four of the stamens are normal in their structure, but the fifth, which is on the lower side of the flower, has attained a length almost twice that of the others. Its anther is large and tapering. At about the middle it is crooked a little toward the outside, and its slender, tapering apex is curved upward. The filaments of all the stamens are very short, bringing the anthers close up to the base of the corolla. The small anthers are of about the same color as the corolla, varying sometimes to a greenish yellow. The large anther, however, is quite different; the proximal half being of a greenish yellow, while the distal half has a more or less pronounced purple color. Professor Todd, in his paper, does not speak of the color of the anthers, but Fritz Mueller,[H] in writing of _S. rostratum_, says: “All the anthers, as I am informed by Professor Todd, are of the same dull yellow color.” All the material examined by the writers from this locality shows a decidedly different color for the distal half of the large stamen. It seems hardly probable that material growing in Iowa should show such a marked difference, but in case this statement is not the result of an oversight on the part of Professor Todd, it is of considerable interest. The anthers dehisce by terminal pores, as is common in the genus to which the plant belongs.

The two lower lobes of the corolla are produced into short wings, which in the bud enfold the pistil and the large stamen, which is clearly differentiated as such in the youngest buds in which the stamens may be discerned by careful dissection. In the bud the pistil lies immediately above the large stamen, but upon the opening of the flower extends between the filaments of the large stamen and that of the small stamen either to the right or to the left.

Professor Todd’s statement is: “The pistil in any flower turns toward the axis of the raceme.” While in a general way this is true, the statement might be more clearly expressed, since it is only in the general direction of the pistil as a whole that it points toward the axis of the raceme.

The style is not inserted perfectly perpendicularly upon the top of the ovary, but bends slightly downward from the longitudinal axis of the flower. Professor Todd has overlooked this point in his figure. Throughout the remainder of its course until near the tip it is almost straight. Thus it will be seen that the large stamen and the pistil are placed almost opposite each other on the lower side of the flower. The angle between their incurved ends, which approach within about three mm. of each other, is about seventy degrees, thus causing them to point toward opposite sides of the flower. Thus it will be seen that, since the flowers are arranged alternately on the opposite sides of a simple, bractless raceme, and the tip of the large stamen always points toward the axis of this raceme, the flowers on the opposite sides of the raceme have both the stigma and the pores of the large stamen turned in opposite directions.