140 BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 



dyke, who has anchored all over the lake; his experience on the lake ex- 

 tends over a period of many years. Compared with the size of the lake 

 the swampy country is small. From this it would appear that the breed- 

 ing grounds for most of the fish must be in regions distant from the lake, 

 causing long migration periods. This is made more apparent from the 

 fact that fish are rarely caught any place in the lake except at or near 

 the streams entering the lake, or at the outlet. 



Flathead lake is popularly supposed to be very deep. I was told it, 

 was 1,500 feet deep in places. During the summer of 1899 some twenty 

 soundings were made in the lake and rivers. The greatest depth ob- 

 tained was 280 feet. The location of this may be found by referring to 

 the map. Eugene Hodge, captain of the Klondyke, states that nowhere 

 is the water deeper than this sounding. 



McGovern Bay, on the northern end of the lake, Is about seventy 

 feet at the deepest. Flathead river has filled in a large amount of sedi- 

 ment. East of the mouth of Flathead river the drop in depth is sudden 

 from the river bar. The deepest portion of the lake is off shore on the 

 east side, next the Mission mountains. In high water a great deal o£ 

 land at both ends of the lake is covered. If the depth of the lake should 

 be lessened by ten feet, thousands of acres at the lower end would be un- 

 covered. The annual rife and fall of the lake is from ten to fourteen, 

 feet, but it has risen as much as nineteen feet in a season. The lako 

 acts as a huge reservoir for water storage, but overflows much land al- 

 most every year when it is at the highest. The amount of water flowing 

 into the lake and out of the lake annually has not as yet been determined. 



Life in Flathead is scarce. Although some species are taken in 

 great abundance, the cold clear waters, with rocky bottom and bankfi 

 and with few marshes, make life scarce as compared with similar bodies 

 of water located in warmer climates at lower altitudes. 



It is impossible to present the results on Entomostracan work in this 

 papor. These results will be prepared separately. The work of collect- 

 ing has extended over four seasons, and many data have accumulated. 



During the summer of 1899 collections were made on various portions 

 of the lake. Report of this work has been made. In 1900, col- 

 collections were made by Prof. L. A. Youtz, then of Montana Wes. Uni- 

 versity, now at Lawrence University. In 1901, Maurice Ricker, of Burling- 

 ton, Iowa, carried on the investigations. These studies have been mado 

 in but two months of the year, .July and August. It is important that col- 

 lections be made during other months of the year, in order that seasonal 

 changes may bo studied. 



In 1902, collections were made during the months of July and August 

 by Maurice Ricker and the writer. Pumpings were made almost daily, 

 as the weather would permit. Specimens were taken at depths from sur- 

 face to 130 feet. 



Collecting around shore is confined to the country adjacent to either 

 end of the lake. On the eastern bank the Mission mountains come down 

 to the water's edge, with a few benches at different places. There are 

 no large streams entering the lake from the mountains on the east. In 

 the 30 or 313 miles of bank there are only four or five small streams of 



