A PRODUCTION OF: NATURE SCENE: IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM: AND: ♪ HELLO, AND WELCOME TO NATURE SCENE.

I'M JIM WELCH WITH NATURALIST RUDY MANCKE AND WE'RE AT CLIFTY FALLS STATE PARK IN MADISON, INDIANA, ON THE OHIO RIVER STANDING ON A BLUFF WITH CANYONS ON BOTH SIDES, RUDY.

AND THIS SHOULD BE JUST THE PERFECT TIME TO BE HERE, TOO, JIM BECAUSE SPRING IS JUST COMING AND SPRING WILD FLOWERS OUGHT TO BE AVAILABLE TO US.

MAYBE A FEW ANIMALS ALSO BUT WE'RE SO CLOSE TO TOWN, YOU KNOW WE'LL HEAR SOME NOISES RIGHT AT FIRST BECAUSE WE'RE NEAR A HIGHWAY BUT EVEN THOUGH CIVILIZATION IS SO CLOSE THE WILDS ARE HERE, AND WE'LL GET TO EXPLORE THEM AND THAT'S NICE-- TO HAVE A NATURAL AREA SO ACCESSIBLE AND THIS IS ONE OF THE PARKS THAT REALLY IS.

OF COURSE, THE OHIO RIVER, WITH SOME 981 MILES' LENGTH OF IT HAS BEEN THE GATEWAY TO THE WEST FOR MANY.

TRAFFIC TODAY ON THE RIVER, TOO.

AND YOU CAN JUST LOOK OFF AND SEE HOW BIG THAT RIVER IS.

IT'S A TREMENDOUSLY WIDE RIVER-- A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WATER COMING DOWN.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE WAY IT'S CUT A RATHER NICE VALLEY HEADING...

LOOKING UP TOWARD MADISON.

YOU SEE THE WAY THAT REALLY YOU COULD EXTEND THE LAND FROM ONE SIDE OF THE RIVER OVER TO THE OTHER IT USED TO BE CONNECTED AND THAT RIVER HAS TAKEN AWAY ALL OF THAT MATERIAL AND DEPOSITED IT ELSEWHERE OF COURSE, CARRYING IT TO THE MISSISSIPPI AND THEN ON TO THE GULF OF MEXICO.

CARVED OUT BY GLACIAL ACTIVITY?

WELL, THE GLACIERS ACTUALLY DID DAM UP STREAMS THAT USED TO RUN NORTH AND POOL THEM TOGETHER TO FORM WHAT IS NOW THE OHIO RIVER.

SO THE RIVER IS HERE BECAUSE OF GLACIAL ACTIVITY TO THE NORTH.

OF COURSE, A RIVER LIKE THIS CREATING A NICE RIVER VALLEY SLOPING HILLSIDES, STREAMS RUN DOWN TO JOIN IT AND CUT LITTLE VALLEYS AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE'LL BE SPENDING SOME TIME TODAY AND JUST LOOK AT THE TREES HERE AND IT TELLS YOU THAT WE'RE IN A GOOD OLD HARDWOOD FOREST.

SUGAR MAPLES... WOW, LOOK AT THAT-- NICE.

NOW, THEY DON'T REALLY DOMINATE HERE BUT I WOULD PREDICT THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY.

THEY SEEM TO BE A VERY COMMON UNDERSTORY TREE THAT'S GETTING STARTED.

MAPLE-LIKE LEAVES SO TYPICAL HERE.

NOT REALLY VERY GOOD FOR SYRUP PRODUCTION HERE ww BUT IT'S STILL NICE.

AND THEN ANOTHER ONE-- LOOK BACK, YOU KNOW, DOWN THE WAY... WITH THE BLOSSOMS?

JUST A DISTANCE.

YEAH, THAT'S REALLY OLD FLOWERS AND MAYBE EVEN EARLY FRUIT ON A BUCKEYE.

THAT'S AN INTERESTING TREE BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST TREES TO LEAF OUT IN SPRING.

IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY AT THOSE LEAVES THEY'RE PALMATELY COMPOUND LEAVES, WE SAY-- THEY HAVE FIVE LEAFLETS ALL COMING OUT FROM THE SAME POINT.

YOU SEE THAT PRETTY CLEARLY FROM HERE.

AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF VARIETIES WITH THOSE YELLOW FLOWERS ON THEM YELLOW BUCKEYE, PROBABLY, OR OHIO BUCKEYE IS THAT VARIETY.

AND THEN LOOK EVEN CLOSER.

NOW, HERE IS REALLY MORE OF A SHRUB AND BLADDERNUT IS THE COMMON NAME FOR IT.

@.

LOOK AT THE LEAVES FIRST BECAUSE THERE ARE THREE PARTS TO THAT LEAF-- THREE LEAFLETS.

WHEN YOU FIRST LOOK AT IT THAT'S REMINISCENT OF, YOU KNOW, POISON IVY WHICH WOULD HAVE THREE LEAFLETS, BUT THIS IS SHRUBBY AND LOOK AT THE FLOWERS ON IT, HANGING DOWN THERE.

SPRINGTIME IS THE TIME FOR THE FLOWERING.

BLADDERNUT IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THE TREE AND THAT REALLY HAS MORE TO DO WITH THE FRUIT THAN IT DOES THE FLOWERS.

IT SHEDS ITS LEAVES IN WINTER, OF COURSE.

YEAH, AND LOOK... TAKE A LOOK RIGHT HERE.

LOOK AT THE LITTLE BEE WORKING THROUGH THE FLOWER, SEE?

STICKING HIS HEAD IN OR STICKING HER HEAD IN AND GETTING SOME POLLEN AND NECTAR MOVING FROM FLOWER TO FLOWER AND THEN SLIPPING AWAY CARRYING POLLEN FROM ONE FLOWER TO ANOTHER, OF COURSE AND FERTILIZING THOSE FLOWERS AND FORMING THAT STRANGE FRUIT WHICH YOU DON'T SEE NOW, BUT WHAT GIVES IT ITS NAME.

SPEAKING OF BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS THERE'S SPRINGTIME FOR SURE.

AND JUST SPREAD OUT I MEAN, A LOT OF THEM RIGHT THERE IN THE LITTLE OPEN AREA.

THAT PLANT REALLY LIKES OPEN AREAS LIKE THAT AND THE COMMON NAME FOR IT IS LARKSPUR.

THERE ARE A GROUP OF BIRDS CALLED THE LARKS THAT HAVE A LONG SPUR.

THE BACK TOE LOOKS LIKE A LONG SPUR COMING OUT.

SO, LOOK AT THE BACK OF THAT FLOWER.

THERE IS A SPUR.

SO THE FLOWER GETS ITS NAME FROM THE BIRD.

THAT'S RIGHT.

LARKSPUR IS A GOOD NAME AND THE PURPLES-- JUST SO BEAUTIFUL THIS TIME OF THE YEAR AND NOT... OH, LOOK, NOW, NOT ONLY DO WE SEE THE FLOWERS; WE GOT FRUIT.

SEE EARLY FRUIT OVER THERE TO THE SIDE INTERESTING-LOOKING FRUIT.

AND THEN EVEN LOOK AT THE LEAVES REALLY A GERANIUM-LOOKING LEAF DOWN THERE.

SO MANY BEAUTIFUL THINGS, SO MUCH GOING ON.

SPRING IS CERTAINLY THE TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT A PLACE LIKE THIS.

L I SUPPOSE WE BETTER HEAD ON AND SEE WHAT WE CAN SEE FURTHER ON, OKAY?

AT CLIFTY FALLS.

UH-HUH.

FOR THE MOST PART, THIS IS JUST A HARDWOOD FOREST AREA.

LOTS OF SUGAR MAPLE IN OTHER PARTS OF IT.

AND SOME MAPLES AND SOME OAKS AND BEECHES AND THINGS.

BUT THIS IS KIND OF A NICE WAY TO SEE CLIFTY FALLS.

WHAT A CANYON!

WELL, WHEN WE SAW THE OHIO THAT'S A TRENDOUS AMOUNT OF WATER AND IT CHANGES THE WORLD BUT CLIFTY CREEK IS CHANGING THE WORLD, TOO SLOWLY BUT SURELY WEARING AWAY THAT ROCK AND CREATING A PRETTY INTERESTING CANYON.

LOOK AT THE WATER CASCADING DOWN THERE.

WE'LL BE LOOKING AT CLIFTY UP CLOSE LATER ON.

WE'LL GET A LITTLE BIT CLOSER LOOK AT IT.

I SEE SOMETHING RIGHT DOWN IN FRONT OF US, JIM.

CHECK OUT THE... LITTLE GROUND S... EASTERN CHIPMUNK.

YEAH.

MM-HMM-- LOOKS LIKE THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE BASES OF A RED CEDAR.

THAT'S ONE OF THE CONIFERS THAT DOES WELL HERE.

BUT THERE'S THE LITTLE CHIPMUNK STRIPES ON THE BODY AND STRIPES ON THE FACE A RODENT THAT DOES VERY WELL IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.

SEE ONE OTHER THING OVER HERE THAT'S STRANGE.

LOOK ON THE CHERRY, SEE THE CATERPILLAR?

OH, YEAH.

HARD TO SEE.

HE'S KIND OF WRAPPED AROUND THAT LEAF.

SOMEDAY WILL BE A BUTTERFLY.

YEAH, AND PROBABLY NOT TOO LONG.

THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD-SIZED ONE.

LOOK AT HIM CHING DOWN ON THAT FOOD.

THE LARVA-- AND THAT'S A LARVA-- IS REALLY THERE TO FEED SO HE'S DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF CHOMPING DOWN ON THE LEAF AND CHANGING THE LEAF INTO PROBABLY RED-SPOTTED PURPLE BUTTERFLY EVENTUALLY.

I BIG THINGS LIKE THE CANYON AND LITTLE THINGS LIKE THOSE MOTHS AND CATERPILLARS.

WELL, I THINK THAT COMBINATION OF BIG AND LITTLE PRESENT-DAY AND PAST, WHICH WE'LL BE SEEING WILL BE A LOT OF FUN.

WE'LL START ON THE TOP AND THEN WE'LL WORK OUR WAY SLOWLY DOWN.

A GOOD, SAFE TRAIL HERE.

IT'LL BE SLOW GOING, BUT WE'LL GO BACK DOWN IN TIME AND HOPEFULLY GET A CHANCE TO SEE SOME FOSSILS EVENTUALLY.

TIME TRAVELERS.

OH, BOY, IT'S GOING TO BE FUN TODAY.

LET'S JUST HEAD ON DOWN THE TRAIL.

HEY, THESE ROCKS ARE REALLY INTERESTING, AREN'T THEY JUST DROPPING DOWN 20 OR 30 FEET OR SO.

IS IT LIMESTONE OF SOME KIND?

MOST OF THIS IS LIMESTONE MATERIAL.

ALL OF IT IS SEDIMENTARY ROCK AND YOU CAN SEE THE LITTLE SOLUTION PITS AND PLANTS COMING IN DOING VERY WELL.

AND THERE'S A TREE THAT DOMINATES IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS-- AMERICAN BEECH.

FRESH, GREEN LEAVES ON IT USUALLY SMOOTH BARK.

( chuckles ) A LOT OF CARVING ON THAT TREE.

OH, YEAH.

YEAH, PEOPLE LIKE TO LEAVE THEIR MARK BEHIND AND NATURE LEAVES HER MARK, TOO, IN THE ROCK BACK THERE BUT A TREE, IT GENERALLY SURVIVES THAT AND YOU SEE WHERE IT'S BEEN HE OVER SOME OF THE...

SOME OF THE CUTS.

PLANTS HERE, THOUGH, ARE PROTECTED.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS THAT IS VILY PROTECTED AND THERE'S ONE OF THE PLANTS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO PROTECT HERE.

LOOK AT THAT GORGEOUS WILD FLOWER.

SHOOTING STARS IS THE COMMON NAME R THAT.

AND I THINK THAT LOOKS THE PART PRETTY WELL.

APRIL, MAY OF EACH YEAR YOU'LL NOTICE IT?

YEAH, UH-HUH, SPRINGTIME FLOWER, BASAL LEAVES.

SEE ALL THE LEAVES DOWN AT THE BASE AND THEN UP COMES THE FLOWER STALK AND THEN THOSE SHOOTING STARS HANGING DOWN ALMOST LIKE A COMET WITH THE TAILS FLYING OUT BEHIND IT.

NOW, I SEE SOMETHING ELSE.

LOOK AT ALL OF THE LITTLE... LOOK AT THE SASSAFRAS TREE RIGHT OUT THERE LEAVES COMING... NEW LEAVES COMING ON IT.

WHAT TELLS YOU IT'S SASSAFRAS?

LOOK AT THE LEAVES...

TYPE OF LEAVES THERE.

REALLY, THE SHAPE OF THE LEAVES HELP.

WHAT REALLY ATTRACTED ME WERE THE COCOONS.

SEE THE COCOONS HANGING DOWN?

LIKE A LEAF, LIKE A DRIED LEAF.

BASICALLY, THAT MOTH-- AND THE MOTH THAT DOES THAT IS A PROMETHEA MOTH-- FORMS A LOT OF SILK AND THEN PUTS A COUPLE LEAVES THERE.

THOSE LOOK LIKE DEAD LEAVES % THEY SHOULD HAVE DROPPED BY NOW, YOU SEE AND THAT'S A CLUE AS TO THE FACT THAT IT'S HELD ON BY SILK.

MEANS OF PROTECTION-- CAMOUFLAGE?

I EVEN SEE THE FLOWERS ON SASSAFRAS THERE, JIM.

THOSE ARE STRANGE, BUT INTERESTING DOWN THERE LOW.

NOW, THERE'S ONE OTHER THING.

LOOK IN THE CROTCH OF THE TREE OVER THERE.

SEE THE...

IT'S A NEST!

LOOK AT THAT.

WHAT KIND OF BIRD IS THAT SITTING IN THE NEST?

THAT'S A BLUE JAY.

BLUE JAY, AND LOOK AT THE BLUE... LOOK AT THE TAIL UP AT THE ANGLE PRETTY BIG BEAK ON THAT ANIMAL AND THE NEST, YOU SEE, OUT OF REASONABLY LARGE STICKS.

TWO OR THREE EGGS, ANY IDEA?

WELL, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PULL HER UP TO LOOK AND SEE BUT SITTING THERE, NOT MOVING MUCH... OH, LOOK, LOOK AT THE MOVEMENT AROUND, TWISTING AROUND SETTLING BACK DOWN IN TO INCUBATE THOSE EGGS.

IT'S REAL IMPORTANT TO LET THOSE EGGS, YOU KNOW, KEEP WARM FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

AND HOW LONG BEFORE THE BABY BIRDS WILL BE ON THEIR...

PROBABLY A COUPLE OF WEEKS OR SO AND THEN THEY'LL BE VERY ACTIVE, OF COURSE FEEDING ALL OF THE OPEN MOUTHS IN THE NEST.

SO MANY INTERESTING THINGS TO SEE RIGHT ALONG THE TRAIL ONCE YOU STOP AND TAKE A LOOK.

NOT ONLY IS THIS OUTCROP OF SEDIMENTARY ROCK INTERESTING Ñf BUT LOOK AT WHAT THE C.C.C.

FELLOWS DID IN THE 1930s TO MAKE THIS ACCESSIBLE.

ISN'T IT PHENOMENAL?

IT'S GREAWORK.

THE WORK THAT WAS DONE... AND WILL LAST HERE A LONG TIME.

YEAH, AND, OF COURSE, THEY HAVE TO KEEP UP THE STAIRS AND EVERYTHING BUT IT'S A FAIRLY SAFE WAY TO SEE THE CHANGES THAT OCCUR AS YOU GO DOWN TOWARD THE CREEK.

WHY DON'T WE STOP HERE JUST A MOMENT %@2 AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE FLOWERS?

THE FIRST ONE I SEE... LOOK AT THE REDDISH ORANGE WITH SOME YELLOW ON IT.

MM-HMM, WHAT'S THAT?

YOU KNOW THAT ONE?

NO.

COLUMBINE IS THE COMMON NAME FOR IT AND IT HAS EXPLODED ON THIS HILLSIDE AND THE SUNLIGHT HITTING IT REALLY BEAUTIFULLY.

I SAW BACK UP... YOU'LL JUST LOOK BACK UP ON THE LEDGE THERE SEE THE WHITE FLOWERING PLANT THERE DELICATE LITTLE FLOWERS ON... STONECROP IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THAT ONE.

IT'S CALLED STONECROP?

YEAH, IT'S APPROPRIATELY NAMED BECAUSE IT DOES BEST ON STONY OUTCROPS LIKE THAT DOING WELL WHERE MOST OTHER PLANTS REALLY DON'T DO WELL AT ALL.

I EVEN SEE, I THINK, A LITTLE INSECT WORKING OVER SOME OF THOSE FLOWERS.

REAL THICK LEAVES STORE A LOT OF WATER.

WHEN IT GETS DRY, THOSE LEAVES HOLD WATER FOR THAT LITTLE PLANT AND GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT OF AN EDGE ON THESE OUTCROPS THAT CAN BE DRY SOMETIMES.

OF COURSE, THE MOUNTAIN HYDRANGEA I'VE SEEN BEFORE.

MOUNTAIN HYDRANGEA ALL AROUND WITH FRESH THIS YEAR'S LEAVES ON IT AND LAST YEAR'RUIT.

ALL THAT BROWN DRIED MATERIAL IS LAST YEAR'S FRUIT.

IT'LL BE FLOWERING A LITTLE BIT LATER.

NOW, THOSE ARE SORT OF HERBACEOUS PLANTS.

TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THESE TREES.

LOOK AT THE ONE RIGHT DOWN IN FRONT OF US THERE WITH THE HEART-SHAPED LEAVES.

BASSWOOD IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THAT-- TILIA-- BEES LOVE TO COME TO THE FLOWERS OF THAT A LITTLE LATER ON IN THE YEAR, GETTING STARTED AND THEN THE GIANT TREE.

LOOK AT THE THING BEHIND IT-- PHENOMENAL.

THAT IS A BIG, BIG, BIG TREE.

IT'S GIGANTIC.

AND THAT'S THE STATE TREE OF INDIANA THE TULIP TREE, OR YELLOW POPLAR REALLY IN THE MAGNOLIA FAMILY.

LOOK AT THE STRAIGHT SHOT COMING UP.

AGAIN, WHEN YOU START DOWN LOW IN A VALLEY YOU HAVE TO COME UP HIGH TO GET TO THE SUNLIGHT AND IT'S DOING WELL, A RAPIDLY GROWING TREE.

AND ONE OTHER ONE OVER THERE WITH EARLY LEAVES ON IT.

LOOK AT THE PINKISH FLOWERS.

REDBUD.

REDBUD.

AND WE SEE A LOT OF THAT THROUGHOUT INDIANA.

YEAH, AND THAT DOES WELL IN MOIST AREAS AND THIS IS JUST PERFECT FOR THAT.

GETTING CLOSER TO CLIFTY FALLS?

YEAH, THERE'S ANOTHER VIEW, I THINK A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN.

WHY DON'T WE TAKE A LOOK?

RUDY, YOU SAID WE WERE GOING BACK IN TIME.

WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THAT?

YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE BEEN PASSING LAYERS OF SEDIMENTARY ROCK ON OUR SIDE.

FURTHER DOWN YOU GO IN THOSE LAYERS FURTHER BACK IN TIME YOU GO.

YOUNGER LAYERS ARE ON THE TOP OLDER LAYERS ON THE BOTTOM.

AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT A STREAM LIKE CLIFTY CREEK YOU CAN GET A CHANCE TO SEE BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH A LITTLE.

IT OPENS THE WORLD UP FOR YOU.

AND THERE YOU CAN SEE THE LAY OF THE LAND REALLY BENEATH US.

WHEN WE WERE STANDING ON THE TOP WE COULDN'T APPRECIATE ALL OF THIS.

YOU CAN REALLY TELL THAT THERE MUST BE HARDER ROCK UPHEREHE TOP THAN ON THE BOTTOM BECAUSE THE MATERIAL BELOW IS LIMESTONE-- IT ERODES AWAY MORE RAPIDLY THAN THAT CAP OF DOLOMITE.

AND THE AGE OF THAT MATERIAL IS ORDOVICIAN-- 400 OR SO MILLION YEARS OLD.

IT'S SEDIMENTARY ROCK.

IT FORMS LIMESTONE-- FORM UNDER OCEANS-- AND SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THE ANIMAL LIFE IN THAT OCEAN WHEN WE GET A LITTLE IT CLOSER TO THE ROCK.

BUT YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT HOW DOLOMITE DOESN'T WEAR AWAY AS RAPIDLY AS LIMESTONEóó AND THAT'S WHAT CREATES A WATERFALL.

AND YOU REALLY GET TO SEE THE TIERS THERE OF THE WATERFALL.

USUALLY THAT DOLOMITIC HARD LAYER IS REFERRED TO AS THE SALUDA FORMATION.

AND THEN THE MORE EASILY ERODED LIMESTONE IS KNOWN AS THE DILLSBORO ññFORMATION AND USUALLY THAT'S FOSSILIFEROUS SO MAYBE WE CAN GET LUCKY IF WE JUST HEAD ON DOWN TO THE BOTTOM.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY PRETTY STEEP TRAIL.

I'D HATE TO DO IT FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A DAY.

WELL, I TELL YOU IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH HEADING BACK UP I SUPPOSE, IN A LITTLE WHILE.

BUT IT'S NICE WITH THE BOARDWAññ THAT THEY'VE DONE-- PRETTY SAFE.

IT GIVES US SOME PRETTY GOOD VIEWS OF FLOWERS.

AND DOWN HERE ON THE LOW PART OF THE HILLSIDE IN THE SHADE, THERE'S SO MANY.

LITTLE PATCHES OF SUNLIGHT HERE AND THERE.

THE ONE THAT DOMINATES DOWN THERE IS CALLED FERN-LEAFED PHACELIA.

LOOK AT THE LEAVES, NOW.

LIKE A FERN, SURE.

LIKE A FERN.

VERY, VERY COMMON, DOING WELL AND THEY LOVE, AGAIN MOIST, SLOPING HILLSIDES LIKE THIS.

I SEE ONE OTHER THAT'S KIND OF BLUISH BUT IT'S CLEARLY A DIFFERENT FLOWER-- JUST DOWN THE WAY A LITTLE BIT.

PHLOX IS THE COMMON NAME.

IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW ONE OF THE CULTIVATED SPECIES BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE WILD ONES THAT DOES VERY WELL HERE.

IN FACT, ACROSS THE U.S. PERHAPS?

YEAH, IT'S SCATTERED.

AGAIN, THIS IS A PERFECT HABITAT FOR IT-- PERFECT PLACE FOR IT TO LIVE.

AND THEN ONE OTHER ONE AND IT'S AWFULLY HARD TO SEE.

LOOK AT THAT LITTLE, SINGLE FLOWER COMING UP OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE SPRING WILD FLOWERS APPROPRIATELY NAMED SPRING BEAUTY.

OH, SO DELICATE.

AND USUALLY BY THIS TIME OF YEAR IT WOULD HAVE ALREADY FLOWERED OUT BUT THERE'S ONE THAT'S LEFT JUST FOR US, I SUPPOSE.

MM-HMM.

CLIFTY CREEK IS GETTING CLOSE.

LET'S GET DOWN THERE.

YEAH.

IT'S INTERESTING THE WAY THESE PLANTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MOISTURE THAT SEEPS OUT ON THE SIDES.

AND AS THE CREEK WAS CUTTING DOWN THE SIDES KEPT COLLAPSING.

YOU CAN SEE BIG MASSES OF ROCK HERE THAT HAVE JUST TUMBLED DOWN AS THE CxwEK CUTS OUT THE SUPPORT UNDERNEATH IT, SEE?

AND AS THE VALLEY GOES DOWN IT ALSO GETS WIDER.

WHY DON'T YOU LEAD THE WAY HERE?

IT'S A ROCK GARDEN.

YEAH, I'M SURE THERE'LL BE LOTS OF INTERESTING THINGS THERE.

IT'S A VERY UNIQUE KIND OF HABITAT.

LOTS OF FLOWERS RIGHT HERE.

OH, YEAH, BUT NOW, LOOK.

LOOK UP ON THE TREE.

WHAT IS IT?

A MOTH.

IT LOOKS LIKE...

THE WINGS NOW AREN'T SPREAD.

LOOKS LIKE A POLYPHEMUS MOTH-- WINGS CLOSED UP.

BIG, FRILLY... LOOK AT THE ANTENNAE-- BIG, FRILLY ANTENNAE VERY SENSITIVE TO ODORS IN THE AIR-- SPECIFIC ODORS IN THE AIR.

LARGE ABDOMEN.

AND LOOK ON THE CLOSED WINGS YOU CAN SEE WHAT LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE TRANSPARENT OR TRANSLUCENT AREA ON IT.

SEE THAT ON THE BACK WINGS?

WILL IT OPEN?

WELL, MAYBE IN A MINUTE.

USUALLY DURING THE DAY THEY'RE FAIRLY QUIET.

THEY DON'T DO A GREAT DEAL OF FLYING.

BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST AND ONE OF THE MOST COMMON OF OUR SILK MOTHS.

DOING VERY WELL.

LIVES JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AS AN ADULT.

WHAT IS THIS FERN HERE ON THE ROCK BELOW US?

ALL RIGHT, THE ROCK IS COVERED WITH MOSS FIRST AND THAT FERN-- LOOK AT THE WAY THE FROND IS SORT OF LAYING DOWN ON THE GROUND-- LYING DOWN ON THE GROUND-- SEE THAT?

AND THEN ANOTHER FERN STARTS?

THAT'S WALKING FERN-- COMMON NAME FOR IT BECAUSE IT LEANS OVER TOUCHES THE GROUND, TAKES ROOT AND YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER FERN.

THAT'S AN INTERESTING WAY TO COLONIZE THE MOSS-COVERED ROCK THAT HAS CAVED IN FROM THE SIDE.

THAT'S INTERESTING.

STRANGE... NOW, LOOK BACK AT THE MOTH.

LOOK AT IT, WINGS OPEN, NOW!

NOW YOU CAN REALLY APPRECIATE THE BIG "EYES" WITH THE DARK SCALES AROUND THEM ON THE HIND WING.

SEE, WHEN THE FRONT WINGS ARE PULLED OVER THOSE AND A PREDATOR TRIES TO GRAB IT HE PULLS THOSE FRONT WINGS FORWARD AND, BOY, IT LOOKS LIKE GIANT EYES ON A BIGGER ANIMAL.

AND THAT IS A PRETTY GOOD DEFENSE FOR A LOT OF THE MOTHS.

SCARE OFF SOMETHING BIGGER.

THAT IS FANTASTIC-- POLYPHEMUS MOTH.

AS AN ADULT, IT'S THERE TO REPRODUCE.

AS A CATERPILLAR, IT'S THERE TO FEED LIKE THE CATERPILLAR WE SAW EARLIER OF THE BUTTERFLY.

OH, WOW.

SHALL WE CONTINUE BACK IN TIME?

YEAH, LET'S GET DOWN TO THE CREEK.

SEE IF WE CAN GET ACROSS THE CREEK HERE WITHOUT GETTING TOO WET.

CLIFTY CREEK, AND THERE'S PLENTY OF BIG CHUNKS OF ROCKS IN HERE.

WELL, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MUCH RIGHT NOW BUT WHEN THE WATER GETS UP AT OTHER TIMES OF THE YEAR IT REALLY HAS AN EFFECT ON THESE ROCKS.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT UNDERCUTTING AND SOME OF THE HEAVIER STUFF FROM UP TOP FALLS TO THE BOTTOM.

HOW MANY YEARS BACK IN TIME ARE WE GOING?

WELL, WITH THE HELP OF THE CREEK WE GO BACK ABOUT 400 MILLION YEARS AND A LOT OF THIS MATERIAL IS FOSSILIFEROUS.

HERE'S A NICE HUNK OF IT RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF US.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE A MARINE GRAVEYARD WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT MANY PIECES.

YEAH, REALLY IN A SENSE IT IS.

HOLD MY NET FOR SECOND.

LET ME JUST GET DOWN CLOSE TO SOME OF THIS MATERIAL.

THE DOMINANT ONE IN HERE LOOKS LIKE THESE THINGS RIGHT HERE.

SEE A PRETTY BIG SHELL?

MATTER OF FACT, THERE ARE TWO OF THEM REALLY FAIRLY CLOSE HERE.

THIS IS A GROUP OF ANIMALS KNOWN AS BRACHIOPODS.

BRACHI MEANS "ARM" AND PODA MEANS "FOOT."

THEY'VE GOT THIS HOLE IN THE FRONT OF THE SHELL-- MAYBE YOU CAN BARELY SEE IT RIGHT OVER THERE-- AND OUT COMES THIS ARM-LIKE THING ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A FOOT.

THEY ATTACH TO ROCKS AND OTHER MATERIAL IN THE ANCIENT OCEAN WITH THAT THING.

BOY, THESE ANIMALS REALLY DOMINATED IN ORDOVICIAN TIMES.

THEY'RE STILL ALIVE TODAY-- THERE'S STILL SOME REPRESENTATIVES TODAY BUT NOT NEARLY AS COMMON AS THEY WERE BACK IN THIS OCEAN.

BOY, YOU CAN SEE LARGE NUMBERS OF THEM.

SOMETIMES, EVEN, YOU CAN SEE LOOK AT THIS ONE-- THIS IS JUST ONE VALVE.

THERE'S TWO VALVES TO THIS SHELL AND THIS IS THE INSIDE PART OF ONE OF THE VALVES AND YOU ACTUALLY GET A FEELING FOR SOME OF THE, UH...

THE INSIDE OF THAT VALVE-- SOME OF THE LITTLE RIDGES-- SOME OF THE LITTLE ARTICULATING POINTS-- IN THIS ANIMAL.

THAT, TOO, IS BRACHIOPOD?

THAT'S A BRACHIOPOD.

AND, AGAIN, WHEN YOU START LOOKING IN HERE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE PILES AND PILES OF THOSE.

BUT ALSO, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE EVERY NOW AND THEN, THIS KIND OF MATERIAL.

NOW, LOOK AT THAT.

RIBBED.

YEAH, AND THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY THE SHELL OF THIS ANIMAL.

THIS IS ONE OF THE NAUTILOIDS A RELATIVE OF THE SQUIDS AND THE OCTOPUS THAT LIVES TODAY.

BUT, YOU SEE, ITS BODY WAS IN SECTIONS AND THAT IS A CAST OF NAUTILOID SHELL.

THE LIMESTONE FILLED IN THAT SPACE AND HARDENED, AND NOW THE OUTSIDE IS GONE.

RELATIVES OF THIS ANIMAL LIVING IN OCEANS TODAY.

BUT SOME OF THESE THINGS GOT FOUR OR FIVE FEET LONG OR MORE, THE SHELLS.

AND THEN ONE OTHER GROUP AGAIN, WITH RELATIVES LIVING TODAY.

THESE THINGS HERE LOOK ALMOST LIKE SPAGHETTI STRUNG ACROSS HERE-- VERY HARD MATERIAL.

AND THOSE ARE BRYOZOAN COLONIES.

"BRYOZOAN" MEANS "MOSS ANIMAL."

THESE THINGS TODAY OFTEN COVER ROCKS ON THE BOTTOM OF OCEANS LIKE MOSS WOULD COVER A ROCK IN THE WOODS HERE.

BUT IN SHALLOW, WARM OCEANS-- RELATIVELY SHALLOW OCEANS-- THESE BRYOZOANS DO VERY WELL.

AND THAT IS A COLONIAL ANIMAL-- LOTS OF INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN ONE STEM.

IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO BE ABLE TO WALK ALONG AN OLD OCEAN FLOOR WITHOUT EVEN GETTING WET.

IT IS AMAZING.

AN OLD OCEAN FLOOR.

SHALLOW, WARM OCEAN FROM NEBRASKA TO PENNSYLVANIA AT ONE TIME.

MOST OF NORTH AMERICA WAS COVERED.

IT'S REALLY A NICE WATERFALL, ISN'T IT?

OH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL HERE.

LET'S JUST LOOK FOR A FEW MORE FOSSILS BECAUSE...

HERE'S SOME THINGS.

GET OUT IN THE CREEK, MAYBE... FIND SOMETHING.

HERE'S SOMETHING.

WHAT YOU GOT?

RIGHT UNDER MY FOOT.

YEAH.

ALL SORTS OF...

HERE'S ANOTHER PIECE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT, BUT IT'S NOT A ROCK.

WELL, THE WATER SLOWLY ERODES THINGS OUT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IT LEFT US.

THE LARGER PIECE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A FOSSIL.

IT REALLY DOESN'T FROM THAT ANGLE BUT LET'S JUST TILT IT OVER AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS REALLY WHAT'S LEFT OF A COLONIAL CORAL LIVING IN THE OCEAN.

YOU GET A FEELING FOR THAT TUBULAR LOOK ON THE BACK SIDE.

WHEN IT DIED AND WAS BURIED IN THE LIMESTONE-- LIMESTONE IS CALCIUM CARBONATE-- AND THERE WAS SOME SPACE IN THAT COLONIAL CORAL AND, LOOK THERE, THE CALCIUM CARBONATE FORMED CRYSTALS USUALLY KNOWN AS CALCITE CRYSTALS-- SHARP END... THAT'S NEAT.

A MINERAL WITH THE FOSSIL ALL TOGETHER.

ALL RIGHT, HERE'S ONE OTHER THING.

NOW, WE'VE SEEN LOTS OF THESE.

WHAT IS THIS, AGAIN?

THAT'S A BRACHIOPOD.

THAT'S THE BRACHIOPOD.

A FEW RELATIVES LIVING TODAY BUT IN THE PAST IT DOMINATED.

LOOKS LIKE A REGULAR OLD SHELLED ANIMAL BUT REALLY VERY, VERY DIFFERENT WHEN YOU EXAMINE IT CLOSELY.

I GOT ANOTHER ONE RIGHT HERE THAT IS BASICALLY ANOTHER BRACHIOPOD AND YET YOU SEE IT IS SO DIFENT AS FAR AS THE SHELL IS CONCERNED.

HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S 400 MILLION YEARS OLD.

THIS LOOKS LIKE A TOOTH...

ALMOST.

YOU HOLD IT UP LIKE THAT... THAT LOOKS LIKE THE TOOTH FROM A CROCODILE OR AN ALLIGATOR.

REALLY, IT WAS LYING FLAT LIKE THIS AND THAT OPENING THERE THERE USED TO BE TENTACLES COMING OUT AND THIS IS ONE OF THE SOLITARY CORALS.

AND USUALLY, BECAUSE OF THE SHAPE IT'S REFERRED TO AS HORN CORAL.

AGAIN, DOING WELL IN AN OCEAN THAT WAS HERE 400 MILLION YEARS AGO.

RUDY, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THESE WERE ONCE LIVING THINGS.

AND IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE YOU CAN GO TO ONE PLACE AND BEGIN ON THE TOP AND SAMPLE MODERN-DAY LIFE IN INDIANA AND THEN GO DOWN ALONG A STREAM BED AND PICK UP 400-MILLION-YEAR-OLD ANIMAL BODIES THAT USED TO BE LIVING UNDER AN OCEAN.

IT'S BEEN A FABULOUS DAY HERE.

IT'S SO SPECTACULAR HERE AT THE BASE OF CLIFTY FALLS.

WE'VE HAD A GREAT VISIT TO CLIFTY FALLS STATE PARK NEAR MADISON, INDIANA AND WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US AGAIN ON THE NEXT NATURE SCENE.

♪ [Captioning sponsored by THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Captioned by The Caption Center WGBH Educational Foundation] NATURE SCENE IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM: AND: