152 BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 



Pass it would be to a stream leading into Clarke's Fork through Missoula, 

 where it has not been seen. 



It is hoped soon to make an expedition to the headwaters of the Big 

 Blackfoot and Swan rivers, when the question may be settled. 



Few water birds were seen on the lake. It does not seem to be a 

 favorite resort for them. Although there are several species of fish 

 they do not seem to thrive in the warm waters of the lake. It is pos- 

 sible later investigations may show this to be a good breeding place, as 

 Entomostraca are quite abundant. Other forms of animal life, such as 

 larval Diptera and Odonata, leeches and worms have not been determined 

 except in case of adult dragonflies. 



Plate XLIV is a good view of this very interesting lake. The pho- 

 tograph was made from the bridge at the outlet. The view 

 is northeast, up the lake. In the foreground is a bed of pond lilies. 

 Rushes almost choke the stream. The dense vegetation along the shore 

 line is plainly discernible. The wooded valley is a great shelter for 

 white-tailed deer. During ten days stay in the region not a day passed 

 without some one of the party either seeing or hearing an animal. Bear 

 are abundant in the hills. 



In the hills east of the lake mountain goats are reported. In former 

 years an occasional moose is said to have reached this region, though none 

 are now seen. Their spoor is found in the mountains shown in the back- 

 ground. Elk and black-tailed or mule deer were also formerly taken in 

 this region. The former are no longer seen, and the latter only occa- 

 sionally. But the white-tailed or Virginia deer roams the forests in the 

 summer from the settlements to the summits of the range, altiude 7,500 

 feet. They have been seen on the snow banks almost at the summits. 

 They are fond of lying in the open places on the high ridges in summer. 

 Here they escape in part from their worst enemies, the flies. Food is 

 abundant. They bask in the sun, rarely disturbed by man. 



It was stated that the borders of Rost lake contained many sphagnum 

 bogs, mud holes and swamps. In July we traveled miles of meadows and 

 bogs with scarcely a dry knoll during the entire distance. In these 

 marshes, which are no doubt deep in early spring, there must be an abund- 

 ance of smaller life. 



Among the interesting features presented by a brief stay at this lake 

 was the information that all the deer were badly infested by a liver fluke. 

 Numerous reports came regarding the "bloodsuckers" that were in the 

 liver of every deer, etc. Coming from reliable sources these stories 

 could not be denied. The first specimen examined after hearing these 

 reports had two large fiukes encysted in the liver. Old residents make 

 the statement that "when you kill a big eld buck in the fall, take out his 

 liver and shake it, it is so rotten with blooksuckers it falls to pieces." 

 The life hisory of this fluke will be an interesting study for some one. 

 From the shells thus far found the early stages are likely to be in a 

 Physa, although Planorbis trivolvis should be present in the region. 



Next to Daphnia pond Rost lake has greatest interest for students at 

 the Biological Station. 



