Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-08-10

RaN&o nal
the summit and along the ridges are
from Is OTTO 200 years old. as shown
by the rings.
Bird life near the summit of Mac
Dougal. 1900 feet elevation, is moi
very abundant. but is very interest
Ing. p. NJ. Silloway observed fifteen
species at or near the summit. some
of which seem to have quite an ex
tended range vertically. A humming
bird darted swiftly about camp, but
could not be taken. so the species
was not etermined. A young bird OF
Townsend's solitaire. Myadestes
townsendii, was shot at the little lake
at the base of the cliff. In five years
but two specimens of this bird have
been taken the other one having been
shot among the cliffs of the Mission
range les MacDougal lake. A young
specimen so high on MacDouga'
proves conclusively that they nest
near the summit. among the alpine
fir and alpine pine trees. Fitting
cheerily among the trees and loudly
calling its musical notes, the noun
tain chickadee, Parus gambeli, was
rather common. AS it is found also
along the shores of Flathead lake the
vertical range of the species Is there
fore about n mile. Cooper's hawk
accipter "COPPER", was soaring high
above the summit as the party gath.
cred around the triangulation monu
ment Aneas. The Rocky mountain
woodpecker, Dryobates villosus mon
ticola. and the hairy woodpecker
Dryobates ~villosus, were waking the
echoes with their resounding thumps
against the tall boles of the dead
trees. The red-breasted nuthatch, a
lower form, Sitta canadensis. was
giving its m%ournful call in the woods
about camp. The pine siskin, Spinus
pinus, vas seen in large focks in the
timber. This was to be expected, as
it is a high altitude bird, although II
Is found in abundance at the station
at the lake, almost a mile lower. The
higher elevations are the home OF
Clarke's crow, Lucifraga columbiana
as it is not commonly found below
5000 feet and its harsh and loud cal
was frequently heard. The bird of,
ten flew about camp or rested in the
tree tops about the camp. In the cold
mountain streams trickling from the
melting snow banks the mountain oil
American dipper, Cinclus Americana
was strictly at home. Here Is where
1t loves to stay. Among the water
falls, hidden from prying eyes, II
builds its nest of moss and leaves
1t wades up and down the ice cold
streams, bobbing up an down on the
rocks in its characteristic manner
lending life and animation to the
rushing. turbulent mountain stream
In these higher elevations dwells the
olive-sided flycatcher, Contopus Dor
calls, which was seen. Another high
mountain bird, the golden crowned
knight. Regulus satrapa, was detect
ed among the trees in the alpine for.
est. The mountain snowbird, the
pink-sided junco, Junco Marnsii, was
seen, while the common and widely
distributed chipping sparrow, Spiel
la socialis a%rizonae, flew about in con
oitid blt hulllbtIb. III tDt loth Dilts
near the notch of the party passed
by on the trail the blue grouse.
Dendragopus obscurus richardsonii
vas noted. On the other side of the
ridge Franklin's grouse, the fool hen
C%anathites franklinii, was found. AL
most every where on the rock piles
OF the sleeper slopes the loud, shrill
and prolonged whistle of the hoary
marmot could be heard, breaking the
stiffness of the mountain with its
suddenness, and causinng those hear
ing ii for the first time to start sud.
denly in anxious alarm.
While the party were standing or
the summit, and after they had been
there for an hour or more, gathering
plants, swinging their nets for insects
and swinging their cameras from side
to side as they took in the landscape
a fine specimen of the Rocky noun
tain goat came wandering up the
ridge to within a few rods of the
summit. stopped suddenly in alarm
as he saw the summit occupied by
strange figures, gave n long and
searching glance at the intruders
wheeled suddenly, affrighted, and
dashed madly down the mountain
side and into the timber. Others who
visited the adjacent peak, Dodge
mountain, in search of alpine willow
and other plants, scared up a second
goat. which scampered off in alarm
and was seen no more.
The butterflies and moths on the
summit were quite numerous. On the
extreme summit the beautiful blue
hycaena melissa vas abundant. Here
the males disported their brilliant
and gaudy colors in the bright sun
shine. A few hundred feet lower the
more s0mbre colored females were II
numbers, the males rarely seen. The
swiftly moving little checkcrboarC
butterfly melitea whitneye. a high al
titude species. was abundant alonI
the ridge, taken at no other place. i
loves TO rest upon the brown rock'
along the brink OF the cliff, where il.
color so blends with the rocks as tC
make II almost indistinguishable. Tn,
brilliant Parnassius smintheus, 81
characteristic of all alpine heights
where butterflies are found, was dis
porting its gaudy colors in the after
noon sun. lowering over the brink o
the precipice, or sailing gently owe
the white blossoms of the tall bea
grass. The white Pontia protodice
found all over the country, was ais,
there, as was a brown skipper. as we
unidentified. The well known Den
Gus butterfly, Oeneus ehryxus, witt
It's notified and streaked wings, s.
well protecting II among the rocks
flew swiftly by. Lower down tire,
species Of the beautiful fritillarie
were sporting among the abundan
vegetation on the lower submits
while numerous day-lying moths wer
added to the collection.
Dlligent search was made for mos
quitoes. The study of these little in
sects around Bigfork has produce
seven sDecios and ii was desired I