MONTANA STATE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



29 



At the time the investig'ation was ir.ade the water was coUl and clear, but so 

 thoroughly impregnated with salines as to be bitter as quinine to the taste. There 

 can be but little doubt that the water of the lake was directly responsible for the 

 death of the birds, coupled, no doubt, with a combination of other circumstances, 

 for it was only at this lake there was a loss. 



Many geese stopped for a time during this same period at other lakes and 

 ponds in the immediate vicinity but at these other places no bad effects were 

 noted. Some of the sick birds were captured and placed where fresh water was 

 obtainable. Most of these birds recovered rapidly. The exception being a few 

 birds that were far gone to start with. 



Whether the malady among waterfowl is caused by alkali poison, or some 

 other agency, experiments have proven that a cure is possible by placing the birds 

 on fresh water or supplying fresh water to areas affected. In some cases it 

 might be possible to frighten the birds away from contaminated waters. This 

 might be worked successfully on small lakes and ponds but would be more diffi- 

 cult on larger ones. 



While vast water and marsh areas present a more costly and difficult prob- 

 lem to contend with the sportsmen and conservationists of Montana and elsewhere 

 are equally interested in a solution of the difficulty, whether it be in Utah or 

 some other section, for if there is a loss in other places it is plain the number 

 coming to Montana is going to be reduced proportionately. 



So far as Montana is concerned the mi- 

 gratory wild fowl situation is varied. Con- 

 ditions in the west part of the state have 

 been such that the supp'y of birds appears 

 to be normal. Water in that section is more 

 abundant and reports indicate that water- 

 fowl have been quite plentiful. There were 

 more birds during the season of 1926 than 

 there had been for some years. 



The reverse was true of the east section 

 of the state for there has been a decided 

 decrease during the last two or three years. 

 Undoubtedly this is due to many of the 

 lakes and ponds in parts of eastern Montana 

 drying up entirely, leaving but few places 

 for the birds to frequent. 



All along the former main path of mi- 

 gration fi'om north to south the birds en- 

 counter one dry lake bed after another. 

 These in previous years have furnished 

 breeding, feeding, and nesting grounds for 

 thousands of migrating waterfowl. 



Worthy of mention in this connection is 

 Lake Mason in Musselshell county, other 

 less important places throughout the Mus- 

 selshell valley. Big Lake and practically all 

 of the other lakes and ponds in the Lake Another vietv of the shore line of 

 I • J? oi-Mi J. J. 1- J 1 1 Priest Lake, showinq some of the 



basm of Stillwater county, marsh and lake ^j^^^^j ^.„^^,^. ^,^,^^.^ that' died therefrom 



areas in the north part of Yellowstone coun- a mysterious disease. 



