124 BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 
clear of brush, a famous fishing resort. Mud creek rises in the canons 
near the southern arm of the lake, flows south of west, receives the waters 
from Ronan Springs, passes the edge of the sand dune, and enters Crow 
creek a couple of miles from the dune. It is not a large creek, but irri- 
gates several farms. A fair sized stream reaches Crow creek. From the 
sand dune to the lake is 15 miles. The land is level, and no streams cross 
it. 
ORNITHOLOGY OF MISSION VALLEY. 
The country between Crow creek and Post creek is full of pot holes, 
of varying sizes and depths, containing water all summer. Hundreds 
of these small ponds may be seen from elevation on _ the 
mountains, the larger ones lying near the mountains. These 
pot holes abound in entomiostracan and insect life, prolific in quan- 
tity rather than species. Thousands of frogs line the banks all summer, 
and garter snakes, feeding on the frogs, are numerous, large and fat. 
In the grass and reed bordered ponds water fowls breed and rear their 
young. In the fall large numbers of migrant water birds stop at these 
ponds, making an ideal field for the hunter and sportsman. In July the 
most abundant water fowl found with young was the American Golden- 
Eye, Glaucionetta clangula, var. Americana, taken at several places. A 
camp of several days was made at Crow creek in July, 1900. Threa 
years previously a camp of several days was made near the same place. 
In the creek three species of case worms were found. A quart of 
bivalve shells, Margaritana margaritifera were taken in the sandy shoals. 
Several other species of shells were found, Planorbis trivolvis, Limnaea 
palustris, a Physa, Polygyra townsendiana, var. Ptycophora, Pyramidula 
solitaria, and P. strigosa, var. Cooperi. Dragonflies were not numer- 
ous. Aeschna contsricta was seen everywhere. Sympetrum obtrusa 
was abundant; indeed, it is the most common dragonfly in western 
Montana, and is easily captured. Around one of the ponds near the 
creek Sympetrum (Diplax) madida was common. They were wary, shy, 
and hard to catch. Two hours of hard work resulted in only about two 
‘dozen. Lestes unquiculata was the most abundant. Hundreds could 
easily have been captured had they been wanted. A few Amphiagrion 
saucium and Ischnura were taken, making a total list of Odonata cap- 
tured on the plain. In the stagnant water many Ostracoda were se 
cured. Butterflies were not abundant. One catch of nearly a hundred 
Brenthids was very satisfactory. These were nearly always taken on a 
blue aster. Colias eurytheme, brilliant orange, were found in the grassy 
flats. Pieris protodice was not uncommon. A Grapta was occasionally 
seen. Among the shrubbery Satyrus alope, var. olympus was often seen. A 
single male Argynnis Seto was captured. Several Argynnis aphrodite 
were among the captured. A single Lycaena, a few skippers, a Thecla 
and a Chrysophanus, made the remainder of the list. Except along the 
creek and around the ponds there is no collecting. 
Birds in the valley are interesting, and around the water are abund- 
ant. The list of the ornithologist shows 43 species. Many of these are 
quite abundant. The few days spent here were fully occupied by the 
ornithologists, and over 60 skins was the result of their earnest work. 
