SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT OF STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 105 



ACCOUNT OF TRIP INTO WEST GALLATIN CANYON 



TO STUDY TICKS. 



The purpose of this trip was to learn as much as possible from 

 actual observation in the field, regarding the habits and host relation- ■ 

 ships of the wood tick found in this vicinity. We desired, there- 

 fore, to shoot or capture as many as possible of the various mam- 

 mals to be found in the mountains and to examine them for ticks. 



I was accompanied by a junior student, Mr. Willard Kinjr. 

 We left Bozeman Wednesday, August 12th, starting about ten 

 o'clock a. m., and arrived and made camp at the mouth of Hell 

 Foaring creek in the late afternoon. We remained here, shooting 

 mammals in the vicinit}^, until the morning of August I5tli. when 

 we drove up the canyon as far as Swan creek, arriving there about 

 six p. m. We drove slowly and shot animals and l^agged them 

 en the way. Our camp was made at the mouth of SAvan creek and 

 we remained there until Monday at ten a. m.. when we started tor 

 liomc, arriving in Bozeman at seven-thirty p. m. The only un- 

 usual equipment we took with us was a supply of bags of assorted 

 S'zes in which to place the animals, singly, as we secured them, thus 

 preventing the escape of any ticks that would detach themselves^ 

 and making it unnecessary to examine the animals as soon as shot. 

 These bags were found to be of great service and in all future work 

 of this sort we will continue to use them. The animals were ex- 

 amined in camp, where our equipment was kept and where our 

 nctes could be more perfectly taken. We found it desirable to have 

 a supply of small traps with which to capture some of the smaller 

 nocturnal animals. These will be added to our equipment in the 

 fiiture. 



NUMBER AND KINDS OF ANIMALS SECURED. 



The animals secured and examined were : Red or Pine 

 Squirrel, Sciurtis hudsonicus Erxl., 20; Chipmunk, Taniias quadrivit- 

 tatiis ameonus Allen (?), 12; Grey Ground Squirrel, Speniiophilus 

 nchardsoni Sabine, 2; Two-Striped Squirrel. Tamias cincrasccns 



