Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-08-03

termined, so its specific name cannon
now be given. One or these specl-
mems was providing around the sta
ton grounds at night. taking the fish
that were prepared for the ornltholo-
gists table. A trap baited with hsh
caught the prowler, and the same day
a second one was taken In the swamp
II has been known TO inhabit n
region. but has not Deen captured
before. They are large and INT
some fellows. and will be a good ad'
dition to the collection.
The pumpings for cntomostroca IN
the lake are being continued, \ re-
maTkable find was the presence oil
large numbers of a fresh water hydra,
probably Hydra viridis. from the bot
ION of Flathead Lake at q depth OF
30 feet, Pumpings were being made
bN drawing water through q garden
hose and straining b. through a net
OF fine silk boiling cloth. A brisk
breeze drifted the boat during the
operations into shallow water man
desired, and mud tr9 the bottom
was pumped into Oh. ret This was
- ~ al AdhNl w .A' AtbtA w = ,
where 1t was kept In a bottle with
plenty Of water. On examination num-
erOus heads of the little coral-likc ami
mails. each with six blunt t%entacles,
were c @ waving in the water, while
the base remained in the mud. They
were quite generally colorless, with
short blunt tentacles. They were liv-
ing at the time of writing. and SHOW
indications of surviving in the bottled
water. 1t will be remembered that
a new hydra, Hydra cOrOla, was dis
covered several years ago in Echo
Lake, adhering to the growing yege-
tation and floating logs. Hydra coro-
la is unlike the one discovered in the
bottom of Flathead Lake, and the two
are undoubtedly OF different species.
The presence of the hydra in num-
bers in Flathead Lake at a depth of
30 feet, living attached to the mud
and debris. is a remarkable discovery,
and the station force Is much elated
over the find. Other experiments will
now be made to find out how deep
il lives in the lake. The station is
equipped with hose 10 reach a depth
OF l75 feet. which is as deep as it is
practicable to work with garden hose
and a small pump. An abundance of
microscopic animals were found at
the bottom, so that the hydras have
plenty of food. The coral red hydras
found in Echo Lake have a total
length of nearly two and a half inch
as when fully expanded. When feed.
ing. the tentacles seem capable of un.
usual extension, until they seem a
mere thread, bearing numerous large
nematocysts. like beads strung on a
string. The body proper has a gastric
cavity and stalk of about equal
length, that is, the gastric cavity ex,
tends about half way through the
body. The colorless hydras from the
flathead Lake at a depth of 80 feet
are about %one-fourth of an inch in
length. with the gastric cavity eX.
tending from end ~ end. The ten.
tacles do not seem capable of the
long thread-like extension and the
beautiful red color is absent. Hydras
taken from a depth of 80 feet in the
lake. although small. are subject to
considerable atmospheric and water
pressure. The pressure on each
square inch at a depth of 80 feet is
22 pounds. in addition to atmospheric
pressure.
The hot weather Of the week has
not interfered at all with the work
of the station, and those in attend
ance are actively engaged from morn
ing until night.