Page:Condor17(3).djvu/3

 THE. CO.IB.R Volume XVII lsl a'-June, 191_ Number A SUMMER AT FLATHEAD LAKE, MONTANA By ARETAS A. SAUNDERS WITH FOUR PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR HE SUMMER bird life of Flathead Lake, Montana, is already well known through the writings of Mr. P.M. Silloway in bulletins of the University of lVIontana and in THe. CONDOR. The area, however, is a large one. Many parts of it have not yet been visited by an ornithologist, and conditions are changing as the country becomes more thickly settled, so that it is still possible to add more birds to the list or to get new facts about the species previously known. I had the good fortune to spend the summer of 1914 at the Biological Sta- tion of the University of Montana, in the position formerly occupied by Mr. Silloway. The location of the station has been changed from its former posi- tion at the north end of Flathead Lake to a spot more centrally located on the east shore, at Yellow Bay. The country has been settled very rapidly. Many areas on the lake shore have been cleared and planted to orchards. The town of Big Fork has sprung up at the mouth of Swan River, the former site of the station, and the town of Poison at the southern end of the lake, near its outlet. It is feared that with changing conditions many of the larger and more pic- turesque species of birds are becoming scarce. At the same time many of the small song birds are increasing in numbers. Bird life is very abundant at Yellow Bay, but the number of species that one may find within easy walking distance of the station is considerably less than at the old location at Big Fork. This is because there is less variety to the character of the surrounding country. The station is better equipped with boats than formerly, so that trips may be made in a short time to distant parts of the lake shore, and places not commonly visited in former years are now easy of access.