158 BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 



the wods we came across the fresh spoor of a bear. An old beaver dam 

 separated the meadow into two portions. On the return we flushed three 

 flocks of ruffed grouse, each containing a half dozen or more birds. It is 

 apparently a good game region. 



Swan lake is a beautiful sheet of water. It is but the widening of 

 the river, the remnants of much larger lake, both at the upper and lower 

 ends. It is estimated to be twelve miles long, but this estimate is prob- 

 ably a mile or more in excess of the true length. It is narrow except at 

 the upper end. Here it broadens, making a circular bay perhaps three 

 miles wide. Soundings have been taken at the lower end, and to a 

 point about half way up. The deepest sounding taken was about eighty 

 feet. At the lower end it is narrow, shallow, and with considerable cur- 

 rent. 



Above the bay mentioned is a large swampy area, the home of water 

 fowl and aquatic insects. This swamp covers several square miles. At 

 the lake it is densely covered with hydrophytic vegetation, making a 

 dense growth to the height of a man's head. To collect in this region 

 is to wade in water waist deep. It is practically impossible to use a 

 boat, and when a bird is shot it may be irretrievably lost though but a 

 short distance away. As one moves farther south from the lake the 

 swamip vegetation becomes less profuse, finally yielding to grassy mead- 

 ows. Bordering this the forest makes a shelter for wild game. Through 

 this swamp Spring creek winds its way to the lake. Its outlet is choked 

 by masses of yellow water lilies, floating potamogetons, and great tufts 

 of water crowfoot. It is a very suitable place for fresh water inverte- 

 brates. At the outlet of the creek fishing is usually good, and rarely, 

 does the visitor push up the creek in a boat at eventide without sight of a 

 deer. 



Swan river enters the lake along the slope of the Mission range to 

 the west. It does not empty into the upper end of the lake, but follows 

 parallel to it for a mile or more, meeting the lake far down the bay. The 

 river is a great fishing resort, and is much visited by fishermen and hunt- 

 ers. Many interesting regions are reported along its shores which the 

 writer has not visited. 



The shores of the lake are densely wooded. This timber extends up 

 the slopes of both ranges to the rocky nummits. The mountains are not 

 high, not exceeding 7,500 feet, and support timber to the rock crests. 

 The timber is that prevailing in the region, the same species as men- 

 tioned for the region adjacent to Rost lake, one species prevailing in one 

 locality, another most abundant at some other place. Most of the tim- 

 ber is of younger growth. The mountain slopes on either side of the 

 lake are well wooded. Indeed, we may say they are densely wooded. 

 The summits on the west are rounded, with no sharp peaks. These be- 

 gin further to the south. The slope of the Swan range to the west is the 

 more abrupt, since it is the cliff side of the fault. Weathering has re- 

 duced the range very much. Ice has no doubt had a great effect in break- 

 ing down the sharp ridges. At the upper end there is a small valley 

 between the lake and the base of the mountain. This is very wet, cov- 

 ered with dense forest. Toward the middle and lower portion the hills 

 end at the water's edge, clothed with timber to the base. 



