The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-08-15
Visited Last Week by Party From
the Summer School.
TEN LAKES COULD BE COUNTED
And Sixty Snow Clad Peaks Plainly
Seen-Various Interesting Lectures
During the Week by Director Elrod
and Professor Whitford-Dragon-
flies, Trees and Shells.


Fork began with the party at Swan
lake On the return home, Monday,
the regular work was again taken up,
and three lectures were given during
the week.
The first lecture of the week, which
was the eighth of the series, was
given by Professor NJ. ]. Elrod, on
the subject: THE life History of the
Dragonfly." The dragonfly goes by a
number of popular names, Devils
darning needle, snake doctor, snake
feeder, mosquito hawk, and others
Contrary to popular superstition, it
is perfectly harmless, can neither
bite with beak nor sting. 1t is benefi-
cial to man, in the adult state de-
stroying large numbers Of insects
that are pests, such as gnats, flies,
mosquitoes and other diptera.
The early or larval stage of the
dragonhy is in the water, the adult
stage is passed in the air. The larvae
live over winter in the water, are vo-
racious and cannibalistic eaters.
Owing to their sluggish life, they hide
among the weeds and grass, pro
tected from enemies. When ready to
transform to the adult stage they
crawl above the water on some con-
venient object, break the covering of
the body just back Of the head, the
thoraX, withdraw the body from the
pupal case, spread their wings to the
air to dry, and in short time fly
away.
Specimens collected and in the
laboratory were exhibited, showing
the various stages described. 1t was
pointed out that these insects were
very very easily secured for use in
schools in nature study work. Their
usefulness in mitigating insect pests
was discussed, as also the attempts
to rear the insects as mosquito de-
stroyers.
The second lecture Of the week
the ninth of the series, was given by
Harry N. Whitford, assistant in bot
any at the University of Chicago, on
the subject: "How to Distinguish the
Native Trees" The lecture was ex-
ceedingly interesting and instructive.
Leaves and cones of the different
coniferous trees were exhibited, and
their differences noted The tama-
rack or larch has the leaves on the
stem or trunk in clusters. the leaves
being shed in the fall The red fir,
which is not a true fir, has needles
coming out at the various places
along the young stems. The balsam
fir has light bark, needles in rows
on either side of the branch the
needles light colored underneath
Englemanns fir is distinguished from
the red fir by the short, pingy and
more numerous needles. The white
pine has long needles in fves The
white barked alpine pine has needles
in fives also. but they are much
shorter, and darker in color. The
lodge pole pine has needles in twos
twisted when first appearing. The
yellow pine has long slender needle!
in threes.
Then followed a description of thu
cones of the different species of trees
Specimens of each were exhibited.
large portion of the lecture was de
voted to a discussion of the relativ
Importance of the different trees. TIL
distribution of coniferous trees wa
discussed, as also the method of re
foresting place that has bee
burned over 1t is noted that whe
a forest is burned the same specie
of trees seldom spring up again; otf
ers, of different species, come up, an
the forest growth is likely to be Ell
tirely changed. 1t is noticed that tn
yellow pine seldom starts Seeding
in a forest we'll shaded, while i
open places they spring up quite reat
lily The red fir, however, grows i
both shaded forest and in ope
places.
Attention was called to some of tn
interesting problems before the st,
dent of forestry and to the impor
ance of the study. The lecture We
very interesting and instructive, an
was well received
The third lecture of the week, IL
tenth of the series, was by Profess
M. J. Elrod, director of the static
on the subject: "Shells of Westel
Montana" Montana is not rich
shell life. While the state is larg
the conditions for shell growth a
not good The waters are clear, co
and swift, with small amount of lin
The water species thrive only in t
smaller lakes with still water. TIL
cannot live in the rivers and larg
lakes, except in occasional favor
places. The land species have only
portion of the year when food
abundant This time is in the ear
spring, when the rains make veget
ton luxuriant. Later. the hills /
come dry and parched, vegetation