BIOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE AT FLATHEAD LAKE. 129 
where free sand shifts from year to year, slowly moving eastward. On 
the sandy ridge but one plant has a foothold, i. e., Symphoricarpus race- 
mosus, Michx., the snowberry. The sand buries this deeper and deeper 
each year, but it grows new shoots above, while the roots below are deep 
enough to obtain sufficient moisture. 
In the early spring hundreds of small ponds in glacial potholes are 
filled with water. Around these collect various forms of animal life. 
Later these all dry up but a few of the larger ones, around which life is 
fairly abundant. A few rods from the creeks, on either side, and col- 
lecting in summer or autumn ceases. A few forms of life may be found, 
however. Hiding in the withered clumps of Balsamorrhiza, Lupine or 
Cranesbill are hundreds of the big, black, and rapacious Rocky Mountain 
crickets. Over the dry duffalo range they hold sway with the departing 
king of the plains. When startled from their hiding place they give a 
series of loud, shill, and startling noises, accompanied by vigorous bodily 
movements, which invariably startle the collector. A few grasshoppers 
live in the same region. Now and then a battered and frazzled butterfly, 
Pieris protodice or an Argynnis, flutters feebly past. In the buffalo range 
and over most of the valley there are no trees save along the water courses. 
The sparrow hawk is frequently seen on the wing or perched upon a 
rock. Other and larger raptores circle in the air or are busy at the dead 
carcasses on the plain. Not infrequently a coyote is observed skulking 
near the herds of cattle, and even bears come down from the mountain 
sides into the timber along the creeks. 
Collecting has been done at various places in the reservation and 
along the shore of the lake, in spring, summer and late fall. The reser. 
vation and the lake are crossed annually in going to and from the Station. 
Plate XLVI shows the most of the lower end of the lake, viewed from 
the moraine. The absence of timber will be specially noted. The 
swamp area, in which is the greatest amount of life, is to the right, ex- 
tending to the mountains, not shown in the plate. On the left may be 
seen the outlet, the Pend d’Oreille river, which is about a mile wide, cross- 
ed by an old fashioned ferry, propelled by oars made from pine poles. 
The chain of islands which almost cuts the lake in two is plainly visible, 
the main lake lying beyond the islands. During summer the water 
in the visible part varies from 20 feet in depth to a shallow swamp. The 
postoffice, Polson, on the lake-river bank, may be located by following the 
road. Boats plying across the lake land at this place. The river is not 
navigable. 
