BIOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE AT FLATHEAD LAKE. 121 



ally interfering with the work we wished to do in photography. Over 

 the range, in the Swan river country, another fire was raging. These 

 fires were started by the Indians, if reports are true. A few days before 

 as we were on our way to McDonald lake, the first signs of fire were 

 seen by us when still miles away. It was remarked that the fire would 

 reach alarming proportions if not attended to, and such was the case. It 

 is difficult to care for fires started in this way, owing to the lack of trans- 

 portation facilities, and also owing to the difficulty in getting help suffi- 

 cient to extinguish them. The fire raged for several weeks, ascending 

 the mountain higher and higher, until a fortunate rain extinguished it. 



Immediately on making camp the work of collecting was begun. The 

 botanist went energetically to work, and flowers were abundant where- 

 ever there was sufficient space and soil for a foothold. The rocks above 

 camp were searched in the hope of finding more of the small shells, 

 Pyramidula strigosa var. montana, which had been found for the 

 first time on Sinyaleamin mountain ten days before. Sinyaleamin 

 mountain could be plainly seen by us to the south, its snow covered peak 

 being easily distinguished from the others. The shells had aroused so 

 much interest amorg the party that all were interested in the search. 

 Nor was there disappointment. A careful search of the rocks a few 

 hundred feet a.bove camp brought to light a couple of hundred specimens, 

 among them several live ones. A careful search among the smaller 

 stones, overturning them and examining the crevices, produced a collec- 

 tion that caused exclamations of delight from all. 



McDonald peak is double, the western summit, the one ascended, being 

 about a thousand feet lower than the eastern. The two are connected by 

 a ridge, with a saddle or depression between them. To pass from the 

 western summit to the eastern requires a descent of perhaps a thousand 

 feet, then an ascent of perhaps two thousand. The western summit is 

 easy of ascent, although the last 1,200 feet requires about four hours. 

 But to ascend the main peak from the western summit seems difficult, 

 though by taking the snow it is no doubt possible. Up to the present the 

 main peak has not been ascended by the route from the west, with tha 

 exception of a rumor that the trip was formerly made by Indians. This 

 statement has not been verified. 



The main peak has three or four spurs projecting in different direc- 

 tions, behind or between which the snow lies in masses, glaciers appar- 

 ently, remaining the year through. There is little snow on the western 

 peak in summer, and its importance as a snow holder lies in the fact 

 that it permits the snow blowing from the valley on the west to pile up 

 between it and the main peak, thus making the glacier, visible from 

 almost every part of the valley. These spurs make such protection that 

 on three different places on the heights of this mountain the snow piles 

 in drifts which never melt, making three large glaciers. One of these, 

 the one seen from the lake, is shown in the illustration. The others lie 

 behind the spurs. The waters from these three snow masses all flow 

 into McDonald lake. The supply is therefore abundant and never failing. 

 Moreover, the peaks to the north of McDonald peak, and which are also 

 north of the lake, give much of their water to this lake. 



