20 



It was under such favorable conditions, from tiie collector's 

 standpoint, that I began the ascent of Sheep Creek on June 

 28, accompanied by two white companions and two Siwash 

 Indians. 



It would be hard to find a more interesting piece of 

 country than that lying on either bank of the creek for 

 twenty-five miles from its mouth. Heavily wooded with alder, 

 willow, Cottonwood, etc., with here and there open stretches 

 of grassy meadow-land, sandy beaches along the mner bends 

 of the creek, and numerous ponds of water, it is an ideal 

 locality for the collector, as both birds and mammals are 

 abundant. At the time of my expedition, however, it was 

 almost next to impossible for a human being to remain there 

 for any length of time. Mosquitoes swarmed about the stag- 

 nant, marshy places in clouds, and only those who have 

 labored on the end of a "• track " line — dragging a heavily 

 loaded boat through ice-cold rapids and over log-jams and 

 innmnerable snags can thoroughly appreciate the blood- 

 thirsty viciousness of these little pests. 



Four days were consumed in ascending the stream to 

 about twenty-five miles from its mouth. There it became 

 impossible to drag the boat farther, and camp was established 

 in a park-like grove of cottonwoods, surrounded by high, 

 heavily wooded hills, from which poured many clear streams 

 of ice-cold water. 



Birds of many species were numerous on the low stretches 

 of land adjoinmg the creek, while the Pileolated Warbler and 

 Spruce Grouse were abundant on the hillsides. The Grouse 

 for the most part sit stupidly motionless, or sun themseh'es at 

 the base of some uprooted tree, where they spend much time 

 in taking dust baths and preening their plumage. Fortu- 

 nately, mosquitoes gave us but little trouble here and sev- 

 eral days were profitably spent in collecting. 



Mammals were scarce, however, and after trappmg with 

 indifferent results, our supplies were removed to the upper 



