BEAVERS AND BIRD LIFE 155 
standing on top of the dam and casting my flies into the 
water above it.””! 
Mills says that after a severe winter in the Longs Peak 
region the only trout left in certain streams were those in 
the beaver ponds. I saw trout in those ponds myself. In 
other parts of Colorado where I have been I have seen trout 
in beaver ponds, even in some which were connected with 
the main stream by a mere rivulet. 
Dugmore says the beaver ponds afford deep, cool retreats 
for trout in hot weather, and even though the dams may 
restrict the movements of the fish at times, there are always 
opportunities during the year for them to pass up or down. 
“Fins, Feathers and Fur’ does not think trout fishing in 
Minnesota is affected in any way by beaver dams and ponds, 
the temperature of the water always remaining low enough 
in summer for the trout’s needs.” 
BEAVERS AND BIRD LIFE 
Not much has been said or written as to the influence of 
beaver ponds upon bird life. Possibly they have com- 
paratively little, but such as it is, it probably is beneficial. 
As one would naturally expect, various species of ducks are 
found about the ponds, especially in migration. In the 
Yellowstone I saw mallards about some of the ponds in 
summer, including a brood of young on one pond. The 
same species was also seen on ponds, in the Longs Peak 
region. In the Adirondacks, Johnson saw broods of black 
ducks which probably were locally hatched, also occasional 
hooded mergansers and American golden-eyes. He says 
the great blue heron was common and the solitary sand- 
1 From letter from Doctor Underwood. 
2 December, 1922, p. 3. 
