Fergus County argus., 1903-09-02
Professor p. M. SiIIoway Tells some
thing Of His Summers Work at
Fisthead Lake.
THE DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED
The Life of a Collector OF Scientific
Subjects Has Its Hardships-
Outfit Required.
tBy Prof p N. siIlowayl

mountains NAV be of general interest.
There is a degree of hardship and
hard work attaching to a scientific ex-
pedition into the wilderness. of which
many persons have but little idea.
The character of the collector deter
mines the necessary equipment of
baggage, to which must be added the
varying tastes of the collectors re-
garding the requisites for camp life.
Travelling in the mountain wilds is
obviously difficult. there being no
roads in most of the wooded regions.
and trails suitable for pack horse be.
ing found only where circumstances
have made them a necessity.
On June 13 we found ourselves at
the little building devoted to the
needs of the biological work begun
by the University of Montana. This
was to be our headquarters during
the remaining summer. A little viii
lage has sprung up since the build
ing was constructed, and now most
OF the conyeniencus Of civilization can
be found at what was formerly our
camp yard. From this station as
center, excursions OF varying length
were made in search OF material rel
atiye to the biological aspects of the
region. One OF the most interesting
places near the station is d small
pond. which we call Daphnia. 1t is
evidently slowly filling. its shore sus-
tanning rank growth of rushes and
moss. and hence it offers a home for
many forms of aquatic insects and
other lower animals This pond is a
half hours walk from the station, and
our first mornings excursion was in
that direction. From the station we
walk along a road through a fine old
tamarack or larch forest. interspersed
with massive yellow pines. Douglas
frs. clumps of mountain maple, and
lowland fir. the tamarack being es.
pccially noticeable for its towering
trunks in their typical beauty. The
pond lies between two massive
faults" immense rock structures
formed by unequal slipping of the
mass exposed by some grand upheav-
al A rank growth of bushes on the
borders of Daphnia and on the neigh
boring hill sides attracts birds in num-
bers. Here for the first time this
summer found the long tailed Chat.
and was thus able to announce its
range a hundred miles northward of
its previously recorded habitat. In
the vicinity of Daphnia this spring
also took the Varied Thrush or Ore
/ gon Robin, an observation which ex.
tends the range OF this species east.
ward by many miles. More than fifty
/ species OF birds make their summer
home within cal of Daphnia.
/ East OF Flathead lake and lying par.
allel with it for ten or twelve miles,
is Swan lake. a beautiful sheet OF wa.
ter formed by an expansion of Swan
or Bigfork river, which empties into
Flathead lake about a quarter of a
mile below the biological station
Swan lake depression is of glacial
/ formation, an immense ice mass hav
ing ploughed its way in a sinuous
course northward. The southern end
OF the lake or its head opens into a
beautiful circular expanse about two
miles in diameter, beyond which is Q
low region of woods and meadows an
nually submerged by the spring higf
water. Let us follow in fancy oul
trip to the head of Swan lake on June
18th from the station.
Camp outfit, with grub for two
weeks, is loaded into the wagon
which is To haul us to the foot OF thu
lake, journey of about twelve miles
Miscellaneous collecting apparatus
including zinc tubes for carrying bird
skins, botanical presses, a bundle o
heavy drying bottles for plants, bot
ties for containing shells and insects
preserving liquids. dredge net for col
lecting entomostraca from the LAKE
waters, and similar material are nee
essary. There are several clums,
boats for use at the foot of the lake
but as we intend to collect anon.
the rank rushes of the marsh. ou
light boat from the station is loade,
on top of the outfit and carried owe
the rough road through the woods.
June is and 10 are typical days. AM
both days are spent in the swamp il
/
boells Grebe. a rare hester in tn,
northern United States. Is found her,
in small colony. The nest is a mas
OF decaying rushes ancnored amoni
the tufts, projecting about four inche
above the. water. and the three. fOu
or five eggs are generally covere,
with material like that in the nest
so that inexperienced persons woul
pass II without a thought regardin
the real nature of the floating mas
Four sets of eggs of this grebe wer
found, and specimens of the yellow
headed black bird were taken. Sa
urday and Monday. June 20 and 22, b,
ing rainy, are spent in the woods nea
our camp, Equipped with a Ion
. cross-cut saw, an axe, hatchet,
wedge, and pair of sharp eyes. on
hotanist goes forth in search of se'
: tions of trees. Every Dush affords
shower bath, but the enthusiastic co
: lector pays no attention to such diI
couragements. II Is n grand fores
= surrounding Swan lake. IN the extei
sive domain Of The Lewis and Clark
reserve. Here are represented tn
: white pine by magnificent trees {
y royal girth and towring height. glgai
: tic black cottonw0ods, sturdy yello
= pines, lowland frs. Douglas frs. ma
y nlficent Engleman's spruces. sprea'
Ing jumpers. clustering alders, mi
pies. mountain ash. all forming 70
!, est primeval such as might have II
n spired a Longfellow.
. Later in the season we spent tw
!, days on the hillsides near the hea
~ OF Swan lake in quest OF a specime
! of hemlock as reported to us by res
dent forest rangers. Imagine you
self ciambering along a steep mou
tain side, beset with bushes and tree