A Study of the Habitat of the Reptiles and Amphibians of Ellis County, Kansas

Abstract

Ellis county is only a short distance west and north of the center of Kansas. It lies between the 99th and 100th meridians at the eastern margin of the High Plains. The surface of the county is of the same character as that of most of Western Kansas, one vast stretch of plains, almost completely destitute of trees, excepting for a narrow portion along the principal streams, and here and there near a farm house. The surface of the county, however, is very far from being uniform. Some portions, especially the southeastern, are quite level; the central portion is very high and uneven; while in the western and northern portions, especially in the vicinity of the Saline river, there are a number of bluffs. The county is drained by the Saline river, which runs from west to east along the northern boundary of the county, and the Smoky Hill river which runs in the same direction close to the southern boundary. Big creek traverses the county diagonally, midway between the Saline and the Smoky Hill rivers. The rocks exposed in Ellis county are of the Cretaceous system, excepting the sands and gravels along the rivers, which are of a much later period (Pleistocene). The two great divisions of the Cretaceous, the Benton and the Niobrara group, cover the whole area. The upper member of the Niobrara group, the Smoky Hill chalk, does not cover much area in Ellis county. The Fort Hays limestone covers approximately the western half of the county, being exposed on the hills. The rock is a yellowish limestone, which is easily dressed and has been used locally as building stone. Just below the Fort Hays limestone are shales of great thickness, which contain large calcareous concretions. The upper Benton portions are called the Blue Hill shales and are exposed in the hills west and northeast of Hays. The lower Benton group contains more limestone than the upper division. It is exposed in the eastern part of the county and is known as the Benton limestone, locally called fence post. The soils of Ellis county have been formed from limestone, sandstone, and shale, with limestone predominating in most of the area. The soil along the streams of the region is predominately sandy and sand pockets are found along the streams throughout the county. The plant life of Ellis county is characaterized as a mixed prairie association. It is a combination of tall and short grass areas.