102 BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 
necessary ammunition and material for saving specimens. Although it 
was the middle of July the morning was quite cool. By keeping behind 
the hill on the western ridge of the three we were in shadow for a good 
portion of the distance. It was not until nearly at the limit of trees that 
the sun’s rays began to be felt. The ascent to the timber line was devoid 
of interest, save that at about 7,000 feet a mother bird with a brood of 
chicks about three days old was flushed among the Xerophyllum through 
which the ascent led. This grouse, known as Richardson’s grouse, seems 
to be common to this range of mountains, and was taken on several differ- 
ent occasions. It was a surprise to find the chicks so young. This proves 
either that the bird had misfortune the first sitting and made a second 
nest, or that the altitude retarded the nesting time. The size of the 
birds discovered and their ability to escape at the age of a few days may 
easily be conjectured. Two of these little fellows were captured 
by hand, and proved to be the only birds secured on the trip. 
Lunch was eaten at 7,800 feet, and the summit looked near, but the 
ridge looked steep and rocky. We were ascending a “hog back,” a ridge 
leading to the summit. It was narrow, in places no more than wide 
enough to travel in single file, occasionally widening with small grassy 
plots, in which flowers were growing in great profusion. On the summit 
of the ridge, and occasionally in the crevices on the sides, a few white-bark 
pines had a foothold. See Plate XXIV. Their trunks were gnarled and 
twisted, with broken limbs and stunted branches, showing plainly the 
great struggle they were enduring. The dead trees are light and dry, 
purning with a great amount of smoke and much pitch, blackening every- 
thing used about the fire for cooking to an unusual degree. The picture 
given shows plainly the condition of the trees. 
Insects are always scarce in high altitudes and flowers are always 
brilliant. The slopes of Sinyaleamin mountain were no exception. 
The zoologist may find some food for reflection in this. If insects have 
been instrumental in developing color in flowers, as is concluded from 
modern theories, this condition is to be expected. The few insects seen 
were very busy, and had a wide field to work over and an abundance of 
flowers to select from. 
Luncheon over, and a supply of typical flowers having been gathered 
and a few insects taken, the ascent was resumed. 
Mountain climbing to some people is a pleasure, to others a drudgery. 
Certain it is that few people enjoy climbing up among the timber and 
over slippery grass, with nothing to see but the limbs of trees immedi- 
ately ahead, the grass or rocks under foot, and occasionally a patch of 
blue sky or a glimpse of a peak or a canyon. But when one finally ascends 
to the rocks, where grass does not grow, where trees are few and stunted, 
and where solid rocks are piled in stratified layers or tumbled in confu- 
sion as the case may be, mountain climbing becomes to most people a 
pleasure and a reality. When one can rest on solid rock for a moment 
and before him see the peak in all its grandeur, to the right a mass of 
snow with a stream of silver leading away, to the left a wall of rock 3,000 
feet high, it is worth the effort needed to get to the position. 
The interesting part of this climb was that one of the party was being 
