358 DAN BEARD'S ANIMAL BOOK 



THREE HUNDRED BUFFALO 



then roamed free on their ancient pasture lands. 

 The Flathead prairie is thirty odd miles long, by 

 fifteen or twenty wide, and is bounded on the south 

 by the drab-colored buttes, on the east by the Mis- 

 sion Range and on the west by the deep canyon 

 through which the turquoise water of the Pen d' 

 Oreille splashes and dashes, churning itself into 

 suds, as it roars over the rapids and falls ; fretting 

 itself into foam-capped waves as it chafes against 

 the rock-ribbed shore ; whispering awesome threats 

 as it glides into the deep, dark mysterious pools 

 where the currents twist the floating suds into a 

 decorative pattern of great whorls and spirals. 



From their sources in the glacial lakes where 

 they are cradled mid the mountain peaks, several 

 trout streams of clear, cold water cross the Flat- 

 head prairie hurrying on to join the Pen d' Oreille; 

 there are also occasionally muddy pools inhabited by 



STUPID SPOTTED FROGS 



and other ponds whose snow-white edges tell of 

 alkali deposits and scab lands. Along the edges 

 of the different waters 



KILLDEAR, SPOTTED SAND PIPERS, 



solitary sand pipers, yellow legs, greater yellow 

 legs, long-billed 



CURLEWS AND JACK-SNIPE 



wade in happy security. 



Scattered over the prairie are bunches of half 



