Cornell
Lab 0/ Ornithology
Library
at Sapsucker Woods
~^
Illustration of Bank Swallow by Louis Agassiz Fuertcs
Cornell University Library
QL 188.A5
0!
Wild animals of Glacier National Park.Th
3 1924 022 556 074
All books are subject to recall after two weeks
DATE DUE
GAYLORD
PRINTED IN USA
-mm
ORNFTH
QL
188
.A5
i/Tu^-^^U^i^ ^' '
lEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
FRANKLIN K. LANE. SECRETAf^gOfj^^Qj^Y OF 0RNI|TH0L0G'?
NATIONAL PARK SERVJ^^jelL mVl^
STEPHEN T. Mather; DIRECTQH_j^j>,^ ,,,
of
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
THE MAMMALS
With Notei on Phjaiography and Life Zone*
By
VERNON BAILEY
Chief Field Natuialiil, Bureau of Biological Surveyi^ Depaitmeot of Agrlcultura
THE BIRDS
By
FLORENCE MERRIAM BAILEY
Auihot of Hudboak of Birdi ol thi Weitein UaM Suua
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1918
11^ 3
Cornell
Lab 0/ Ornithology
Library
at Sapsucker Woods
Illustration of Bank Swallow by Louis Agassiz Fuertes
/
L8boratoi7 ot Ornithol»gy
Roafl
i59 Sapsucker Wood
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOUemell University
FRANKLIN K. LANE. SECRETARY yjjjjj^ f^gy, york l|4850
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
STEPHEN T, MATHER, DIRECTOR
WILD ANIMALS
of
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
THE MAMMALS
With Notes on Physiography and Life Zones
By
VERNON BAILEY
Chief Field NatmalisI, Bureau of Biological Survey. Department ol Agricultuie
THE BIRDS
FLORENCE MERRIAl^£llLEY" C.. G. C. - '
Author of Handbook of Birds ot (lie J^^<:$V^-i^e|^)a!^ M PA
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1918
C~s' ^-
f\
s
CONTENTS.
Page.
General features governing life in Glacier National Park 15
I. Physiography 15
II. Life zones J8
Transition Zone 19
Canadian Zone 20
Hudsonian Zone 22
Arctic-Alpine Zone 23
THE MAMMALS.
Order Ungulata: Hooted animals — cattle, sheep, goats, antelope, and deer 25
Family Bovidse: Cattle, sheep, and goats 25
Bison, or buffalo 25
Mountain sheep, or bighorn 26
Mountain goat 28
Family Antilocapridae: Prong-horned antelope ?,1
Prong-horned antelope ,31
Family Cervidfe: Moose, elk, and deer 31
American moose 31
American elk, or wapiti 32
Mule deer 33
Western white-tail deer 35
Order Rodentia: Gnawing animals 37
Family Sciuridae: Squirrels, chipmunks, woodchucks, etc 37
Richardson pine squirrel 37
Flying squirrel 39
Yellow-bellied chipmunk 40
Forest chipmunk 42
Little mountain chipmunk 42
Mantled ground squirrel 43
Columbia ground squirrel 45
Richardson ground squirrel 49
Striped ground squirrel 50
Glacier hoary marmot 50
Brown wood chuck 53
Family Muridee: Mice, rats, etc 53
Gray bushy-tailed woodrat 53
Forest white-footed mouse 58
Mountain lemming mouse 59
Red-backed mouse 60
Large-footed meadow mouse 61
Rocky Mountain meadow mouse 62
Drummond meadow mouse 63
Rocky Mountain muskrat 63
3
4 CONTENTS.
Order Rodentia: Gnawing animals — Continued. Page.
Family Oastoridfe: Beavers 64
Beaver 64
Family Erethizontida": Porcupines _ 66
Yellow-haired porcupine 66
Family Zapodidse: Jumping mice _ 69
Rocky Mountain jumping mouse 69
Family Geomjddfe: Pocket gophers - 71
Saskatchewan pocket gopher 71
Brown pocket gopher T.',
Order I.agomorpha: Rabbitlike animals 75
Family Ochotonidse: Conies 75
< 'ony - 75
Family Leporid^ : Rabbits and hares 77
Snowshoe rabbit 77
Prairie jack rabbit - 78
Order Carnivora : Flesh eaters 79
Family Felidse: Gats 79
Mountain lion 79
Canada lynx 81
Bobcat 82
Family Canidae : Wolves and foxes 82
Gray wolf - 82
Northern coyote 83
Mountain red fox 84
Kit fox, or swift 85
Family Mustelidas: Otters, nuirtens, minks, weasels, c(c 85
Otter 85
Mink 86
Arizona weasel 87
Long-tailed weasel 87
Bonaparte weasel 88
Marten 88
Fisher 90
Wolverine 90
Northern skunk 91
Badger 91
Family Ursidse ; Bears 92
Black or cinnamon bear 92
Grizzly bear, or silvertip 96
Order Insectivora: Insect eaters 97
Family Soricidas : Shrews - 97
Water shrew 97
Dusky shrew - 98
Dobson shrew 99
Masked shrew 100
Order Chiroptera: Winged mammals 100
Family VespertilionidEe : Bats 100
Long-legged bat 100
Brown bat 101
Silver-haired bat 101
Hoary bat 101
CONTENTS.
THE BIRDS.
Page.
Introductory 103
I . Itinerary and acknowledgments 103
II . Where the summer bird.s may be found 104
Birds of the lower levels 104
Birds of the middle regions 105
Birds of the higher regions IOC
III. Permanent residents and transient visitants 107
IV. Key to the commoner summer birds 107
Order Pygopodes: Diving birds 110
Family OoljonbidtB: Grebes 110
Western grebe 110
Holbcell grebe - Ill
Horned grebe 112
Eared grebe 112
Family Gaviidse: Loons 113
Loon 113
Order Longipennes: Long-winged swimmers 114
Family Laridse : Gulls and terns 114
California gull 114
Ring-billed gull 114
Bonaparte gull 114
Forster tern 114
Order Steganopodes: Totipalmato s-\nmmers . . _ _ 115
I\imily Phalacrocoracidie : Cormorants 115
Double-crested cormorant 115
Family Pelecanidce: Pelicans 115
White pelican - 115
Order Anseres : Lamellirostral s'S'immers 115
Family Anatidse: Ducks, geese, and swans 115
Merganser 115
Red-breasted merganser 116
Hooded merganser 116
Mallard 117
Gadwall 118
Baldpate 118
Green-winged teal 118
Blue-winged teal 119
Cinnamon teal 119
Shoveller 119
Pintail 120
Wood duck 120
Redhead 121
Canvas-back 121
Scaup duck 121
Lesser scaup duck 121
Ring-necked duck 122
Barrow golden-eye 122
Buffle-head 124
Harlequin duck 124
WTiite-winged scoter 127
Ruddy duck 127
Snow goose 127
6 CONTRNTS.
Order Anseres: Lamellirostral swimmers — Continued.
Family Anatidse: Ducks, geese, and swans — Continued. Page.
Ross goose 127
Canada goose _ 127
Whistling swan 129
Trumpeter swan 129
Order Ilerodiones: Herons, bitterns, etc 129
Family Ardeidis : Herons, bitterns, etc 129
Bittern 129
Great blue heron 1:31
Order Paludicolse : Cranes, rails, etc 131
Family Gruidae: Cranes 131
Sandhill crane 131
Family Rallidae: Rails, coots, etc 131
Sora rail 131
Coot 132
Order Timicolae ; Shorebirds 132
Family Phalaropodidse : Phalaropes 132
Northern phalarope 132
Family Recurvirostridae : Avocets, etc 132
Avocet 132
Family Scolopacidse: Snipe, sandpipers, etc 132
Wilsim snipe 132
Pectoral sandpiiJer _ 133
Greater yellow-legs 133
Western solitary sandpiper 133
Upland plover 133
Spotted sandpiper 133
Canadian curlew 134
Family Charadriida? : Plovers 134
Black-bellied plover 134
Killdeer 134
Order Gallina;: Ciallinaceous birds 135
Family Odontophoridae: Bob- whites, etc 135
B(jl>white 135
Family Tetraonida: Grouse, ptarmigan, etc 135
Richardson grouse 135
Franklin grouse - 136
Gray ruffed grouse 137
Southern white- tailed ptarmigan 139
Columbian sharp-tailed grouse 145
Order C(.ilumbse: Pigeons 145
Family Columbidte: Pigeons 145
Western mourning dove 145
Order Raptores: Bu'ds of prey 145
Family Cathartida?: Vullm-es 145
Turkey vulture 145
Family Buteonida?: Hawks, eagles, etc 146
Marsh hawk 146
Sharp-shinned hawk 146
Cooper hawk 146
Western goshawk 147
Western red-tail 147
Rwainson hawk 147
Squirrel hawk 147
COKTKNTS. /
Order Raptores: Birds ot prey — Continued.
I'"'amily Buteonidae: Hawks, eagles, etc — Continued. Page.
Golden eagle 14S
Bald eagle 149
Family Falconidie: P^alcons, etc 149
Prairie falcon 149
Duck hawk 149
Pigeon hawk 149
Desert sparrow hawk 149
Family Pandionidse : Ospreys 150
Osprey 150
Family Bubonidte: Horned owls, etc • 154
Short-eared owl 154
Great gray owl 154
Richardson owl 154
Saw- whet owl 155
JIacFarlane screech owl 156
Western horned owl 156
Arctic horned owl 156
Snowy owl 156
Hawk owl 156
Rocky Mountain pygmy owl 157
Order Coccyges: Cuckoos, kingfishers, etc 157
Family Alcedinidie : Kingfishers 157
Belted kingfisher 157
Order Pici : Woodpeckers, etc 158
Family Picidse : Woodpeckers 158
Rocky Mountain hairy woodpecker 158
Batchelder woodpecker 158
Arctic three-toed woodpecker 158
Alaska three- toed woodpecker 158
Red-naped sapsucker 159
Williamson sapsucker 159
Northern pileated woodpecker 159
Red-headed woodpecker 160
Lewis woodpecker 161
Red-shafted flicker 161
Order Macrochires: Nighthawks, swifts, and humminglnrds 161
Family Chordeilidse: Nighthawks 161
Pacific nighthawk 161
Family Micropodidaj : Swifts 162
Vaux swift 162
White-throated swift 162
Family Trochilidie : Hummingbirds 162
Black-chinned hummingbird 162
Broad-tailed hummingbird 163
Rufous hummingbird 163
Calliope hummingbird 163
Order Passeres: Perching birds 164
Family Tyrannid* : Tyrant flycatchers 164
Kingbird 164
Olive-sided flycatcher 164
Western wood pewee 164
Western flycatcher 164
8 CONTENTS.
Order Passeres: Perching birds — Continued.
Family Tyrannidae: Tyrant flycatchers — Continued. Page.
Traill flycatcher . ." 164
Hammond flycatcher 165
Family Alandidae: Larks 165
De.-^ert horned lark 165
Family Cor"\T.die: Crows, jays, magpies, etc 165
Magpie 165
Black-headed jay 165
Rocky Mountain jay 160
Raven 167
Western crow 167
Clark nutcracker 107
Family Icteridte: Blackbirds, etc 109
Sagebrush cowbird 169
Thick-billed redwing 169
Western meadowlark 170
Brewer blackbird 170
Family FringilUdse: Finches, sparrows, etc 171
Western evening grosljeak 171
Rocky Mountain pine grosbeak 171
Cassin purple finch 172
Crossbill 173
VvHrite-winged crossbill 173
Gray-crowned leucostictc 173
Redpoll . 174
Pine siskin 174
Snow bunting 175
Alaska longspur 175
Chestnut-collared longspur 175
McCown longspur 176
Western vesper sparrow 176
Western Savannah sparrow 176
Western lark sparrow 176
White-crowned sparrow 177
Gambel sparrow 177
Western tree sparrow 177
Western chipping sparrow 177
Montana junco 177
Mountain song sparrow 178
Lincoln sparrow 178
Slate-colored fox sparrow 178
Arctic towhee 179
Black-headed grosljeak 179
Lazuli bunting 180
Family Tangaridse : Tanagers 180
Western tanager 180
Family Hirundinidse: Swallows 180
Cliff swallow 180
Barn swallow 180
Tree swallow 180
Northern violet-green swallow 181
Bank swallow 181
CONTENTS. 9
Order Passeres: Perchin<^ birds — Continued. Page.
Family Bomlsycillidte : \\'axwings LSli
Bohemian waxwing 181!
Cedar waxwing 181!
Family Laniidae : Shrikes 1 8:'>
White-rumped shrike 18?.
Family Vireonidce : Vii-eos 183
Western warbling \-ireo 18.3
Family MniotiltidEe: Wood warblers 183
Black and white warbler 1 83
Orange-crowned warbler 183
Yellow warbler 1 83
Audubon warbler 183
Townsend warl^ler _ . _ 184
Grinnell water-thrush 184
Macgillivray warlder 186
Western yellow-throat 186
Pileolated warbler 186
Redstart 187
Family Motacillidae : Wagtails 187
Pipit 187
Family CinclidEe : Dippers 1 88
Water ouzel 188
Family Mimidee: Mockingliirds. catliird.s, etc 190
Catbird - 190
Family Troglodytidse : Wrens - . 191
Rock wi'en 191
Western house wr'en - - - 191
Western winter wren . - 191
Family Certhiidse : Creepers - - 192
Rocky Mountain creeper - - - 192
Family Sittidse; Nuthatches 192
Rocky Mountain nuthatch - 192
Red-breasted nuthatch - 193
Family Parida;: Titmice - 193
Long-tailed chickadee 193
Mountain chickadee 193
Chestnut-backed chickadee 194
Family Sylviidse: Kinglets, etc 194
Western golden-crowned kinglet - 194
Ruby-crowned kinglet 194
Family Turdidte : Thrushes, solitaires, Iduebii-ds, etc 195
Townsend solitah'e 195
Willow thrush 195
Olive-backed thrush 196
Audubon hermit thrush 196
Western robin 196
Northern varied thrush 197
Mountain bluebird 198
;c*^
^^^^^\^''^'^
ILLUSTP?ATT()NS.
Plat?;s.
TUK MAMMALS.
Pi.ATR I. I>ife zone section of slo]3e in Glacier Park 24
1 1. liufl'alo ball on Flathead Bison Range near Dixon, Mont I'o
ITI. Fig. 1.— A band of old rams in Yellowstone Park. Fig. 2. — Moun-
tain sheep just below timberline in Glacier Park 28
IV. Fig. 1. — A bunch of mountain goats in Alpine meadow. Fig. 2. —
Mountain goat in Bronx Park 29
V. Fig. 1. — A family of goats on their way down the mountain side.
Fig. 2. — The same family of goats feeding in an Alpine meadow ?.0
VI. Fig. 1. — Mule deer buck in short summer red coat. Fig. 2. — Mule
deer in -ivinter 34
VII. Fig. 1. — Wliite-tail deer in summer red coats. Fig. 2. — Wliite-tail
doe in long gray winter coat ?>5
VIII. Fig. 1. — Mantled ground squirrel in upright position. Fig. 2. —
Mantled ground squirrels feeding on scattered oats 44
IX. Fig. 1. — Burrow of Columbia ground s([uirrel. Fig. 2. — (Jolumliia
ground squirrel and burrow 45
X. Fig. 1. — Richardson ground squirrel. Fig. 2. — Pale tliirteen-lined
ground squirrel 50
XI. Fig. 1. — Hoary marmot at Lake Ellen Wilson. Fig. 2. — Hoary mar-
mot in Gunsight Pass 52
XII. Fig. 1. — Bushy-tailed woodrat at entrance of cave. Fig. 2. — Bushy-
tailed woodrat and Ijuilding material 53
XIII. Fig. 1. — Beaver house on bank of Belly River. Fig. 2. — Beaver in
National Zoological Park 64
XIV. Fig. 1. — Porcupine retreating down trail. Fig. 2. — Porcupine com-
ing up trail 68
XV. Fig. 1. — Mountain lions in top of yellow-pine tree. Fig. 2. — The
same lions in another position 80
XVI. Fig. 1.— Canada lynx. Fig. 2.— Bobcat 81
XVII. Fig. 1. — Coyote in National Zoological Park. Fig. 2. — Wolves in
National Zoological Park 82
XVIII. Fig. 1. — Fisher in captivity. Fig. 2.— Otters in captivity 86
XIX. Black bears at garbage pile 94
XX. Fig. 1.— Ground where bears have dug up bulbs. Fig. 2.— Burrow
of ground squirrel dug out by bear 95
XXI. Grizzly bears in Yellowstone Park 96
THE BIRDS.
XXII. Eared grebe 112
XXIII. Loons 113
XXIV. Mallards 118
XXV. Shovellers 119
XXVI. Sora rails 130
XXVII. Ruffed grouse 136
XXVIII. Marsh hawks 146
n
1^ II.LUSTRATIOiJS.
Page.
Plate XXIX. Young ferruginous rough-leg 148
XXX. Young golden eagle _ 149
XXXI. Belted kingH.'^her.s - 156
XXXII. Williamson sapsuckers - 158
XXXIII. Black-billed magpies : - 164
XXXIV. Water ouzel's nest ^ 188
XXXV. Oatliirds 190
XXXVI. Northern \ aried thrush 197
XXXVII. Map of life zone In pocket.
Text Fioure.s.
the mammals.
Fic. 1. Transition Zone on Big Prairie in Xorth Fork Valley 20
2. Head of 5-year-old ram from (.'hief Mountain 28
:'. A fi\e-point Jjull elk in early winter 3-3
4. Head of mule deer Inick from Hucklelierry Mountain 34
5. Head of white-tail deer at Belton, Mont 35
6. (I) Yellow-hellied chipmunk; (II) pale 13-lined ground stiuirrel;
(III) mantled ground scpiirrel; all from museum skins 40
7. Plan of underground den of Columbia ground squirrel 48
S. Woodrat in his nest of moss and lichens in old cabin 56
9. Woodrat nest on shelf in corner of cabin 57
10. Cottonwood stump cut by beavers on Camas Creek (iO
1 1 . Jumping mouse 70
12. Pocket gopher of the genus Thoiiinmys 71
13. Xorthern white-tailed jack rabljit in March 78
14. Two mountain lions that will kill no more game 80
15. Mountain red fox in Wind River Mountains, Wyoming - 84
] 0. Mink photographed at old cabin above Kintla Lake 86
17. (I) Dusky shrew; (II) masked shrew; photographed from alcoholic
specimens 99
18. (I) Brown bat; (II) long-legged bat; museum specimens 100
THE BIRDS.
19. Western grebe Ill
20. Horned grebe 112
21. Bed-breasted merganser 117
22 . Hooded mergansei' 116
23. Baldpate 118
24. Green-fldnged teal 119
25. Blue-'ivinged teal _ _ 120
2(i . Cinnamon teal 1 20
27. Pintail 120
28. Canvas-back 121
29. Scaup duck 121
30. Golden-eyes on Yellowstone Lake 122
31 . Buffle-head t24
32. Western harlequin duck 124
33. I-Iarle(iuin duck at Iceberg Lake 126
34. White-winged scoter 127
35. Ruddy duck 127
36. Canada geese 128
37. Bittern 130
38. Young great blue heron VM
39. Avocot. . - 132
40. Wilson snipe 1 33
41. Killdeer ]:U
ILLUSTRATIONS. 13
Page.
Fig. 42. Franklin grouse i:!(i
43. Female ptarmigan in summer 1 :),S
44. Mother ptarmigan and chicks 139
45. Ptarmigan in -winter _ 143
46. Sharp-tailed grouse 1 14
47 . Sharp-shinned hawk - _ _ 14(;
48. Goshawk - 14(i
49. Red-tailed hawk 147
•'lO. Swainson hawk [47
51 . r.ald eagle 149
02. Duck hawk - 14!)
53. Pigeon hawk - 149
54. Sparrow hawk 150
55. Nest of osprey 151
5fi. Two photographs of osprey and nest 152
57. Short-eared owl 154
58. Saw-whet owl 154
59. Screech owl 155
60. Horned owl 156
61. Arctic three-toed woodpecker 158
62. Northern pileated woodpecker 159
63. A family of red-.shafted flicker..! 160
64. Nighthawk 162
65. Rufous hummingljird 163
66. Calliope hummingbird - 163
67. Kingbird 164
68. Horned lark 165
69. Rocky Mountain jay 166
70. Clark nutcracker 168
71. Red-winged blackbird 169
72. Meadowlark 170
73. Brewer blackbird 170
74. Evening grosbeak 171
75. Cassin purple finch 172
76. Crossbills 172
77. Gray-crowned leucosticte 173
78. ^^'hite-crowned sparrow 176
79. Western chipping sparrow 1 77
50. GUff swallow 180
81. Barn swallow 181
82. Tree swallow 181
83. ( 'edar waxwing 182
81. Audubon warbler 184
85. Townsend warbler 184
86. Macgillivray warbler 186
87. Western yellow-throat 186
88. Water ouzel at entrance to nest 188
89. Western house wren 191
90. Young Rocky Mountain nuthatches 192
91. Long-tailed chickadee 193
92. Mountain chickadee 194
93. Western robin 197
94. Mountain bluebird 193
GENERAL FEATURES GOVERNING LIFE IN
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
By Vernox Bailey.
I. PHYSIOGRAPHY.
Glacier National Park lies in northwestern Montana, along the
main range of the Eocky Mountains from the Canadian boundary
south to the Great Northern Railway. P>om the rugged crest of the
Continental Divide it descends on the east to the edge of the Gi-eat
Plains, and on the west to the dense forests of the Flathead Valley.
Its sinuous and spiny backbone forms one of the roughest ranges on
the Continent; and, while its highest peaks reach an elevation but
little above 10,000 feet, it has all the appearance of a more lofty
range, for the timberline is low and its upper slopes and peaks reach
far into the snow and glacier-laden Arctic- Alpine Zone. Its steep and
jagged sides are deeply cut and furrowed by ancient glaciers, and the
old glacial troughs are now filled by long, deep lakes of wonderful
purity and beauty. Some of the smaller lakes are still milky from the
grinding of the glaciers above them, but those farther from the ice
throw back from transparent depths the deepest shades of blue and
green. The long lake valleys on both sides of the range extend out
between riblike lateral ridges almost as high and rugged as the dorsal
crest of the range. In fact some of the highest peaks rise from these
lateral ridges, while the main divide- has been eaten through by the ice
in notches that serve as the only available passes for present trails and
future highways.
The tilted and heavily stratified shale, limestone, sandstone, and
argillite, which make up a great part of the range, have given strik-
ing contrasts to the configuration of the park. Great cliffs and ter-
races, sharp peaks and jagged walls on one side and shelving slopes
on the other, render many of what seem to be unattainable heights
from some points of view quite possible of access- from other points.
Faint trails of mountain sheep and mountain goats may be found
threading the narrow shelves and niches to the tops of many of the
15
16 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK. -
liighest peaks, but some are too precipitous for even these skilled
climbers. The lower slopes of the mountains are generally covered
with soil, slide rock, or morainal deposits and, in each case, with
such growth of vegetation as the depth of soil will support. The
valleys and basins are rich and fertile, as is shown by dense forests
and brilliant flower gardens.
Great melting snowbanks feed the foaming streams, while glaciers
grind and sift their floury silt from muddy to milky streams and
white to tinted lakes. Springs of purest water in countless numbers
break out from the mountain sides and unite into rivulets and creeks
and torrents as they descend the steep slopes, while the seepage of
underground waters feeds velvety meadows and dense fern-clad
glades. The whole region is enriched by its bounteous humidity,
and the vintage of the heavy winter snows is poured out over the
thirsty valleys far and wide.
Plant life is abundant and varied, and as the* endless combinations
of plant associations crowd and push for supremacy, those best fitted
for the existing local environment hold the main areas while the less
fitted are crowded back. Temperature, light, shade, moisture, depth
and nature of soil, wind, and fire have all been potent factors in the
present arrangement of the vegetation of the mountains, and all but
the last have added beauty and interest to the flora. Fortunately the
ravages of fire have not been extensive, and the grazing of domestic
stock has not injured the virgin beauty of the mountain meadows,
which are among the greatest attractions of the park. The flower-
ing of one set of plants after another spreads clouds of color over
the meadows and open slopes, where on one day a golden glow of
dogtooth violets holds the eye, and a week later the creamy white
of the west-wind flower is seen, only to be followed in rapid sequence
bj' the delicate purple of the vetchling and the deep blue of the gen-
tian ; and so on until the short summer is over. But each dominant
flower has its understudies of varied shape and color filling in every
available nook and corner, while each difi'erent type of soil or vary-
ing belt of soil-moisture holds its own sets of species, from beds of
purple and creamy heather above timberline down to the tall white
globes of beargrass on the open slopes below. Even the deep shade
of the forest is brightened by the white stars of the pine lilj (CJ/n-
tonia) and single-floAvered wintergreen (Moveses) on carpets of false
mitrewort and lacelike T'larella^ and by purple and white pyrolas
and Chlviaphlla, scarlet painted-cups, magenta and yellow monkey
flowers {H/imttlns), together with a host of other common flowers,
and occasionally some of the rare and exquisite wood orchids.
The forests vary from deep and somber stands of closely set tnniks
of i^ine, spruce, and fir, cedar, hemlock, and western tamarack, to the
open and straggling timberline belts, the Christmas-tree parks of
PHYSIOGRAPHY AND LIFE ZONES. 17
second-grcwth pines over fire-swept areas, the groves of delicate
aspens scattered over the open spaces, and sturdy bhick cottonwoods
along the streams. In each area one species holds supremac}' and all
others take subordinate places. The lodgepole pine is the most
widespread and abundant tree, forming clear stands of slender poles
or smooth trunks of sawjog size over great areas. Engelmann spruce
is scattered over mncli of the park area and fills the Upper St. Mary
and Waterton Valleys with almost pure stands of tall, straight, and
graceful trunks. Balsams are generally scattered, but on some slopes
are the dominant trees. Hemlock, tamarack, cedar, yellow pine, and
western white pine are alj\mdant and variously mixed in the ^-al-
leys of the west slope of the park, where each in turn donunates its
favorite ground, while together they form the most superb forest area
of the park region. The scrubby but picturesque white-stemmed
pine (Pimis alhicaulis) of the timberline belt baffles the winds and
storms more successfully tlian any other tree, living and thriving
where beaten to the ground and held down by heavy winter snows
and fierce winds until it seems little more than a coniferous car]iet.
Engelmann spruce, the sulialpine fir, and the Lyell tamaraclc
also struggle up to timberline in dwarfed form, and sometimes
prove almost as hardj^ as the white-stemmed i^ine with which they
are associated. Many other trees find a foothold and fill minor places
in the forest. The Douglas spruce and limber pine, white fir, and
a few junipers are found at lower levels. The graceful white birch
on the west slope and the little brown western birch low down along
the streams with the mountain maple and alder and many of the
larger shrubs help to fill subordinate places.
The shrubs and undergrowth of the forested and open areas include
manv useful, ornamental, and interesting species. Flowering shrubs,
as the syringa, ocean spray, mountain balm, and meadow-sweet, are
conspicuous. Fruit-bearing shrubs, as chokecherry, pin cherry, thorn
apple, serviceberry, elderberry, high-bush cranberry, mountain ash,
red raspberry, thimbleberry, blueberries of three or more species,
wild currants, and wild gooseberries, grow in greater or less profu-
sion. The western yew and devil's cluli add peculiar interest and
character to the shrubbery of the west slope, as do the ground cedar
and silver leaf to the east slope of the park.
Even the ferns and club mosses and the real mosses and lichens in
great profusion and variety add their touch to the beauty and
interest of the plant life of the park as well as to the charm of the
forest and the rock shelves and shady cliffs of the mountains, Avhile
the least of all the visible plant life, the pink snow, gives a rosy
glow to the surface of the snow banks and glaciers,
51140°— 18 2
18 WII.D ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
The bird and mammal life of the park are too rich and varied to
be touched upon lightl^y, and each is M^orthy of a volnnie by itself.
In few other places on the continent can so great a variety of the
larger game animals be found close together.. The moose, elk, mule
and white-tail deer, mountain goat, mountain sheep, grizzly and
black bears, and the great hoary marmot are all common in parts
of the park, while many of the smaller mammals furnish constant
interest along the trails and about the hotels and camps.
While certain areas are at times almost devoid of bird life, there
are always others where birds are abundant and where the songs
of the varied thrush, the olive-backed and western hermit thrushes,
the gray fox sparrow, the white-crowned sparrow, warblers, vireos,
wrens, and other choice songsters may be heard. Above timberline
the rosy finches and pipits breed, and mother ptarmigans lead about
their broods of downy young, while lower down the Franklin, Eich-
ardson, and ruffed gTouse may be studied along the trails. A number
of water birds breed in the- lakes, and many of the- individuals are
becoming unafraid of man. The opportunity for close bird study
is unusually favorable, and the bird life is as full and varied as in
any part of the Eocky Mountain region.
Most of the streams are well stocked, and many afford excellent
trout fishing. In the larger lakes and streams the trout are large
and gamey, while in the smaller streams their abundance usually
compensates for their smaller size.
Eeptiles and amphibians are generally scarce in the park, but two
species of small garter snakes are found, and several species of frogs
and toads are connnon.
II. LIFE ZONES.
The plants and animals of the park are distributed in a series of
approximately horizontal belts or zones, but on such broken slopes
that only by a broad view can tlie zonal arrangement be rec-ognized.
Four of the transcontinental life zones are I'epresented, tlie Transi-
ticm, Canadian, Hudsonian, and Arctic- Alpine, ranging from the
basal slopes upward, each with its characteristic set of mammals,
birds, and plants. The boundaries of these bolts are not sharplj- de-
fined, and each zone merges into those adjoining in a way that at times
is confusing, but the conformity of certain sets of s]iecies to certain
linuts of altitude is apparent to the most superficial oliserver. That
these limits are due to climatic conditions dependent largely upon
altitude and slope exposure is also apparent when the evidence is
considered.
The natund grouping and arrangement of the ]))ant and animal life
of the park can be best understood on the basis of the connnon laws
of distribution. Certain species are adapted to a restricted range of
PHYSIOGBAPPIY AND LIFK ZONES. 19
temperature or climate, Avliile large numbers of species have approxi-
mately the same climatic and consequently geographic range. Ac-
cording to well-known laws the climate normally becomes colder as
the altitude and latitude become higher, but not uniformly, as slopes
inclined toward the south receive and absorb more heat from the
sun's rays than do level areas, and far more than the slopes inclined
toward the north. Thus slope exposure greatly modifies the local
climatic conditions and consequently the distribution of plant and
animal life. The altitude of the base level, or country surrounding
the base of the mountains, also in 'part determines the amount of heat
available to the slopes above. A high base level holds the sun-warmed
air up against the sides of the mountains and thus enables associated
species to grow at higher levels than where the surrounding country
is lower. JSIany other local influences, as air currents, prevailing
Avinds, light and shade, humidity, and soil conditions, further modify
the environment that determines the nature of the fauna and flora.
The open plains country, Avhich barely penetrates the eastern edge
of the park, supports the peculiar types of plant and animal life be-
longing to the Transition Zone, traces of which are found also in the
lower valleys on the west slope of the park. The dense forests of
lodgepole jjine, spruce, and fir, Avhich cover the base of the moun-
tains, mark the Canadian Zone; the narrow belt of dwarfed timber
at and near timberline, the Hudsonian Zone ; while depauperate
plants above timberline partly cover the peaks and ridges of the
.\rctic- Alpine Zone.
TRANSITION ZONE.
The Transition Zone, an area relatively warm and fertile and of
■\alue for the production of wheat and other cereals, lies mainly out-
side the park, but fortunately enough of it is included to add some
of its characteristic species to the fauna and flora of the park and
(o provide suitable winter range for some of the important game
animals of the higher and colder zones. On the east slope it is
present in dilute form up to about 4,500 feet altitude on the warmest
exposures, those facing toward the southwest at Glacier Station, and
in the St. Mary, Swiftcurrent, and Belly Eiver Valleys. It is indi-
cated hj tongues or j^atches of prairie carrying the prairie species
of plants and animals, and is mainly without timber. Its shrubby
vegetation consists of the little western birch, the diamond willow,
serviceberry, silver-leaf, western snoAvberry, prairie rose, and creep-
ing juniper, but its dominant vegetation consists of prairie grasses
ruixed with the loco, vetch, milk vetch, bluebonnet, broAvn-eyed Susan,
balsam root, i^rairie aster, blazing star, Indian paintbrush, larkspur,
puccoon, geranium, purple Avind floAver, and a host of other plants
of the Great Plains Transition Zone area. Its characteristic mam-
20 WILD AXIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
mals include the Richardson and thirteen-lined ground squirrels, the
Saskatchewan pocket gopher, and the prairie hare; while the west-
ern vesper sparrow, western Savannah sparrow, western chipping
sparrow, lazuli bunting, yellow warbler, and long-tailed chickadee
are characteristic birds.
On the west slope of the park traces of the zone are seen in the
yellow pines in the North Fork Valley, a few mountain junipers
along the river banks, black thornapple along the lake shores, west-
ern birch along the streams, and an abundance of serviceberrics,
syringa, ocean spray, and Ceanothus sanguineus on the low, warm
slopes ; but no considerable area can be called Transition Zone. The
climate of these low valleys is mild, but the snowfall is so heavy and
the timber growth so dense that melting snow, delayed late into
Fig. 1. — Open Transition Zone valley. Yellow pines on and along edge of Big Prairie
in North Fork Flathead Valley, looking east to Vulture Peak. April 16, 1918.
spring by the cool forest shade, favors the plant growth and the
animal life of the Canadian Zone, which dominates the valleys.
CANADIAN ZONE.
Tlie Canadian, which comprises the well-timbered areas of the
park, is the most extensive of the four life zones. It reaches from
practicallj' the base of the park all around up to altitudes of approxi-
mately G,000 feet on northeast slopes and 7,000 feet on southwest
slopes, varying somewhat with the steepness and soil cover and
with the amount of sunlight allowed to reach the surface of the
ground. Most of the zone is covered by heavy forests of lodgepole
pine, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, aspens, black cottonwood,
and mountain maple, but over the lower part of the west slope of the
PHYSIOGRAPHY AND UFE ZONES. 21
park the predominating forest trees are j'elloAv cedar, western hem-
loclv, western taniaraclv, grand tii', Canada spruce, ])aper birch, west-
ern yew, and devil's-chib, which give a western chiiracter to the
forest, stril'cingl}' resembling that of the Pacihc slope of the Cascade
Mountains.
The shrnbby growth of the zone is characterized by an abundance
of alders, numerous species of willow, mountain ash, shrubby bii'ch,
shrnbby juniper, Canadian buffalo-berry, red-berried elder, black-
berried elder, Pachj/.sthna myrxinites (an abundant little evergreen
shrub), red-berried and black-berried honeysuckle, thimbleberry,
gooseberry, currant, purple mountain blueberry, little red blueberry,
a great abundance of smooth Meiizlesia^ and a little rusty Blerizic-ilit.
Among the many conspicuous flowers of the zone are the tall, white
globes of the bear paw, bear grass or squaw grass, the great yellow
western dogtooth violet {Erythroniu7ih graiidlfloruni) , the green-
flowered hellebore {Veratrum viride), the pine lily (Clintonia urd-
fora) like a white star on the lacelike forest carpet of TiareJla,
the yellow columbine, the deep-blue larkspur, light-blue Cletimtis,
and baby-blue false forget-me-nots, the purple and the blue Pentste-
mon, the magenta Indian paintbrush in the open and the rose-red
Miinulus along the streams, the golden Arnica in the woods in mid-
summer, and later the goldenrod and purple asters and tall pink
hreweed.
The common mammals of the Canadian Zone are moose, elk, mule
deer, white-tail deer, red squirrel, flying squirrel, yellow-bellied and
forest chipmunks, gray-mantled ground squirrel, Columbia ground
squirrel, bushj'-tailed woodrat, white-footed mouse, red-backed
mouse, Rock}' Mountain lemming mouse, long-tailed and big-footed
meadow mice, beaver, porcupine, jumping mouse, brown pocket
gopher, snowshoe rabbit, Canada lynx, red fox, gray wolf, northern
coyote, marten, Arizona weasel, grizzlj^ bear, black bear, and the
water, dusky, masked, and Dobson shrews.
A few of the characteristic birds are the loon, Barrow golden-eye,
and harlequin ducks, Franklin, Eichardson, and ruffed grouse, golden
eagle, goshawk. Cooper and sharp-shinned hawks, pileated wood-
pecker, Arctic and Alaskan three-toed woodpeckers, hairy wood-
pecker, red-naped and Williamson sapsuckers, black-headed blue jay,
Rocky Mountain jay, Clark crow, crossbill, siskin, junco, white-
crowned sparrow, gray fox sparrow, cedar waxwing, Wilson, Audu-
bon, and Macgillivray warblers, water ouzel, winter wren, Rocky
Mountain brown creeper, red-breasted nuthatch, mountain chickadee,
ruby-crowned and western golden-crowned kinglets, the northern
varied thrush, Audubon hermit and olive-backed thrushes, and tlie
mountain bluebird.
22 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIEE NATIONAL PARK.
HtTDSONIAN ZONE.
The Hndsoniaii, or tiniberline, zone is a narrow belt around the
peaks about 1,000 feet in average vertical width, reaching generally
from 0,000 to 7,000 feet in altitude on the -cold northeast exposures
flnd from 7,000 to 8,000 on the warmer southwest exposures. On very
steep slopes it often runs beyond these average limits, falling lower
on cold and rising higher on warm exposures. Its borders are very
irregular, but across a canyon its upper edge may be readily traced
on opi^osite slopes by tlie fingertips of dwarfed or prostrate trees,
while below it melts into tlie solid Canadian Zone forest. It has
far more open than timbered areas and includes cliffs and extensive
rock slides and snow banks. In midsummer it is the most attractive .
zone of the mountains, with its brilliant flower gardens carpeting the
open slopes and grassy meadows, its miniature forests and scattered
groves of dwarfed and wind-beaten timber, its unusual bird and ani-
mal life, numerous snow banks, little lakes and roaring rivulets, cool,
fresh air, and glorious mountain views, all combining to make of it
an inspiring camp ground.
Its dominant tree is the small white-barked pine {Pinus alhicauUs) ,
but the dwarfed mountain tamarack {Larix lyelli) is occasionally
found. The Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir also occur in
stunted, dwarfed, and windswept forms, reaching to extreme timber-
line, althouoh their real forest growth is confined to the zone below.
Shrubby vegetation is scarce except for dwarfed willows, the purple
and white heathers {Phyllodoce enijJetnformis and P. glanduliflora),
Eocky Mountain laurel {Kalmla glanca)^ mountain gooseberry, and
dwarf blueberry. The conspicuous flowering plants, however, are
legion and are often massed in areas of almost solid color. The great
j'ellow dogtooth violet fills this zone as well as the Canadian Zone
below and at times gives a dominant color to the slopes. The large
white flowers and woolly heads of the west-wind flower- (Pulsatilla oe-
cidentalis) , the creamy globe flower, and the milk vetch are abundant
and conspicuous, the creamy, roselike Dryus octopetala. often carpets
the ground, and many species of saxifrage are found, with the little
white Areiuiiia and Stellaria. The blues are conspicuous in the little
larksjnir, the Jacob 's-ladder (Polemoniutn viscosnm) , a water leaf
{Phacella), Venus's-looking- glass, and the deep-blue gentians. The
reds and pinks and purples are shown in Indian paint brushes, moun-
tain evening primroses {Godetia quadrivul/nera) , louseworts, elephant
heads, and PeriMcmon. The yellows of buttercups, cinque foils, and
golden asters, and the orange of Arnica, hawk-weed, and tSeneeio are
conspicuous.
Among the niannuals are white goats, mountain sheep, hoarv
marmots, conies, and alpine chipnamks, while the Columbia ground
PHYSIOGRAPHY AND LIFE ZONES. 23
squirrel occupies tlie lower ]);irt of the zone, as do also to some extent
the mantled ground-squirrels and yellow d^ellied and l^ig-tailed chiji-
munks.
The conspicuous birds are the ])tarmigan, rosy finches, pipits, sis-
kins, crossbills, and white-crowned sparrows, while many of the
Canadian Zone species come into the lower edge of the zone, and
golden eagles are often seen around the ])eaks and cliU's.
ARCTIC-ALPINE ZONE.
The Arctic-Alpine Zone caps the peaks and extends on cold slopes
below many of the passes to 7,000 feet and on warmer slopes to 8,000
feet. It lies entirely above the last trace of timber and dwarfed
trees and includes most of the glaciers and large snow iields, great
expanses of barren cliff and rock, and also extensive areas of thin soil
and depauperate vegetation. For the greater part of each year it
is buried in snow, but during the short summer everjr available bit
of fertile soil is carpeted with green or is bright Avith alpine flowers,
and even the cracks and niches in the rocks shelter hardy plants that
deiy wind and storm and frosty nights.
There are no trees or upright shrubs, but many of the plants have
woody stems and most have unusual root development to enable them
to withstand such adverse climatic conditions. Several species of
dwarf willows grow as carpets with leaves and stems flat on the
ground and each plant sends up a single tiny catkin of flowers and
fruit, often less than an inch from the surface of the ground. Cush-
ions of mountain pinks {tSUene acaulls) lend color to the slopes
as do also the deep blue Jacob's-ladder, and dwarf blue columbine,
the alpine harebell, the little fragrant beds of forget-me-nots, many
species of saxifrage, a delicate pink spring beautj^^ a dwarf bitterroot,
tiny crimson shooting stars, yellow S/Lhaldla, buttercups, and cinque-
foils.
Of mammals there are none restricted to this zone, though in
summer the white goats and mountain sheep spend their days mostly
in it, usually coming down into the edge of the Hudson! an to feed at
night, and in winter the goats remain chiefly on its wind-swept
ridges. Hoary marmots and alpine chipmunks often run up into it
but really belong to the zone below.
Birds of many species fly over and wander into the. zone, but the
onljr one breeding entirely within its boundaries is the gray-crowned
rosy finch. The ptarmigan and pipit are often found high in this
zone in summer, but apparently breed mainly lower down in the
Hudsonian.
24 WILD ANIMALS OP GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
While tlie zone lacks elements purely utilitarian, it is supremely
endowed with the highest- type of the esthetic. Its lofty mountain
peaks crowned with the glories of sunlight and snow have inspired
the naturedoving native to regard them as connecting links between
earth and heaven. To the more learned mind they are an equal in-
spiration, as in their beauty and grandeur they rise far above the
good green fields, with strong appeals to come up higher and stand
in the clear light and gaze far and wide over the tiny fields of man
below and then off over the sea of giant peaks that challenge the
strongest fibers of mind and body.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE I.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE II.
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THE MAMMALS.
By Vekixon P.aii.ey.
In addition to its natural beauties and wonderful scenerj^, the
Glacier National Park contains a goodly variety as well as a great
number of large game animals. The bison have vanished, but the
white goats, mountain sheep, moose, elk, mule deer, white-tail deer,
and grizzly and black bears are present in abundance, while many of
the smaller mammals are numerous and so unafraid that they con-
stitute a great attraction to the visiting public. Under the careful
protection afforded bj^ the park most of the species are increasing and
will be easih' maintained in sufficient abundance to perpetuate the
natural fauna over a wide area of public domain.
Properly to protect and control the animals within the park and
to make the interesting species accessible to the visiting public, it is
necessary to learn as much as possible of the life history of each.
Unfortunately many of the obscure habits of the commoner mammals
are still unknown, but by putting on record our present knowledge,
the accumulation of additional information will be encouraged and
the interesting study of home habits of the animals will be made
possible for a greater number of people who have the time and
interest to pursue it.
The present report is based on field work carried on by the United
States Bureau of Biological Survey from May 20 to June 26, 1895,
and from July 5 to August 30, 1917, and on information gathered
from rangers, guides, and other residents in and around the park.
Order UNGULATA: Hoofed Animals— Cattle, Sheep, Goats,
Antelope, and Deer.
Family BOVID.^: Cattle, Sheep, and Goats.
Bison; Buffalo: Bison hison bison (Linnaeus). — The plains along
the eastern edge of Glacier Park were once a famous stamping ground
for the buffalo and hunting ground for the Blackfeet Indians. These
25
2G WIT.D ANIMALS OP GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
were among the last hunting grounds in the United States from which,
about the year 1884, tliis noble game animal vanished. In 1895 bufl'alo
l)oues were thicklj- strewn over the prairies along the eastern edge of
tlie park, although they had been gathered up everywhere within a
day's drive of the railroad and shipjied away for commercial fertilizer.
They were numerous on the edge of the prairie at the lower end of
St. Mary Lake, and skeletons were found in all the little open prairie
strijDS well back into the timber along the sides of the lake. In 1917
few bones Avere to be seen, but old skulls are still picked up in the
thickets and among the rocks well back into the narrow valleys and
edge of the timber of the eastern border of the park, and many of
these may be seen at the park hotels and chalets, at ranger stations,
and ranches along the border. In the timber just west of McDermott
Lake on the Swiftcurrent Creek in 1917T found a half -buried skeleton
in the humus of the pine woods and picked out an almost perfect ver-
tebra with a 14-inch dorsal process, which once helped to support the
high shoulder hump of an old bull. At the ranger station on Belly
River, just inside the park line, two skulls were seen in a fair state of
preservation, and numerous grassed-over trails leading from the steep
slopes of the benches to the river bottoms showed where the buifalo
had at one time occupied this valley in great numbers. At the ranger
station on the North Fork of Kennedy Creek was a fairly good skull
with two old horns that had been picked up in that vicinitj^ At
Waterton Lake a good buffalo skull adorned the front of t>he ranger
station just inside the jDark line, and at the north end of the lake under
our camp woodpile I uncovered an old skeleton of a bull bison. There
are no live buffalo in the- park at present, but some ideal sections of
their original range could be inclosed, where a few of these animals
could thrive the year around with little or no care or expense, and add
one more to the many attractive features of the park. The climate
is less severe than that where the wild herd now winters at 8,000 feet
altitude in the Yellowstone Park, and the conditions would be more
favorable for an all-year range.
Mountain Sheep; Bighorn: Ovis canadensis canadensis Shaw. —
Mountain sheep are abundant on practically all the high, rugged
ranges throughout Glacier Park, especially on the rocky slopes above
Two Medicine Lakes and around Chief and Gable ^Mountains. In
summer they scatter out over the high and more inaccessible ridges
above timberline and are less conspicuous than the white goats, but
during the winter they come down on the lower slopes and, espe-
cially in spring and early summer, are much in evidence alonii
the roads and trails in the more accessible parts of the park.
Park Eanger W. S. Gibb counted 207 sheep in March. 1917, on
the slopes near Many Glacier and photographed them at close quar-
MAMMALS. 27
ters along the I'oad and around the chalets there. lie says that
they may be seen any daj' during early summer from the Many
Glacier Hotel. Probably no one is more familiar ^Yith the sheep
anil their range and abundance over the whole park than ]\Ir. (xibb,
but he insists that a reliable estimate of their numbers would be im-
possible. From many local reports, in many places in the park, how-
ever, I am convinced that the number can not be less than 2,000. In
winter many sheep come down along the rocky slopes east of Water-
ton Lake and spend a part of each year on the Alberta side of the
line, returning in summer to the high ridges, of which Mount Cleve-
land is the culmination point. The Canadian Government has wisely
created a national park on its side of the international boundary,
which effectively protects the animals that wander back and fortli
from one country to the other, as well as giving free access to the
tourists who wish to visit the northern end of the Glacier Park
without getting out of protected areas. To a certain extent the sheep
are migratory, but in a vertical direction, traveling during the late
summer from the highest peaks down to the lower rocky and
warm slopes, where in winter they can find abundant food and still
be on ground rongh enough for them to have the advantage over most
of their natural enemies.
Their food in summer consists lai'gely of the leaves, buds, and
seeds of a great variety of shrubby and herbaceous plants, as well
as some grass, but as a general thing mountain sheep are not grass-
eaters. In winter they take the rough slope and cliff vegetation as
it comes, browsing off whatever is exposed above the snow or projects
if^rom the cracks and crevices of cliifs and ledges, whether it be the
buds and tips and leaves of shrubs or tops and stems of dry grass.
They also tramp and paw to the ground for the low vegetation
under the snow, and eat the green and dry plants, including grass
and sedges, and even the close carpet of mosses and lichens, until the
ffround is left with a bare surface on some of their favorite feeding
slopes. Stevenson saj's they even dig up the roots on slopes where
they can get at the ground. They are good rustlers and usually
come through the winters in good condition.
The young are apparently mostly born in June, as in 189.5 I found
many herds of ewes up to the last of May and among them only one
young lamb, on May 25. Mr. Gibb tells me that he has often found
two lambs with one ewe and thinks that this is not an unusual number
of young. During the summer the rams and ewes usually travel in
separate bunches, but occasionally a mix^d herd is found.
Their summer trails lead up over steep slopes and along the faces
of cliffs on narrow shelves and ledges that from below are lost to
view, and the animals seem to be climbing perpendicular walls.
When actually following their trails, however, I have found none of
LI.
•C
28
AVILD ANIMALS OF- eiiSiilift-lN^
KAL PARK.
Ihem which a man well shod and used to the mountains could not
travel, and others who have been long familiar with the animals on the
native peaks are frank to saj' that a man can go anywhere that they
do. From the highest and most inaccessible slopes where they spend
the summer days the sheep are forced to descend at night or at cer-
tain times to lower levels where they may obtain their food from the
scanty growth of alpine meadows.
It is probable that they would re-
main throughout the day at these
more accessible levels but for their
persistent enemies, the big moun-
tain coyotes, which prowl along
the trails and over the slopes as
high as their unshod feet will
allow them to travel with com-
fort. Apparently these are the
principal enemies of the sheep,
and if their destruction could be
accomplished the sheep would in-
crease more rapidlj' and would be
more conspicuous along the trails
and over the mountain passes
during the tourist season. As the
sheep meat is considered hy many
the most delicious of all game
meats, the animals are not easily protected from poachers outside the
park areas, but with the excellent ranger service they should steadily
increase in the park until it is stocked to its full capacity, when they
will overflow into neighboring ranges where hunting maj' at some
time be resumed.
Mountain Goat: Oreamnos mmifavvs m-iHsoulae Allen. — ^^Vhite
goats are common on all of the high peaks and ridges throughout
the park. During the tourist season they are generally found above
timberline or from the last scrubby growth of timber up to the tops
of the highest peaks. Occasionally the goats or their tracks Avere
seen where the animals crossed from one range to another, along
some of the trails well down in the timber, and little festoons of
fine white goat wool were found on bushes along the trails near
Elizabeth Lake on the head of the Belly Eiver, and in the
ujDper part of Waterton Lake valley. While the goats do not make
the same vertical migration u]) and down the slopes as the mountain
sheep, they wander ccmsiderably and keep some of the trails w'ell
worn between the different ranges. TTnless disturbed by their
enemies, their travel is mainly in daily trips up the slopes to high
ledges and shelves during the morning hours, often to the very crests
Fig. 2. — Head of 5-year-old ram from
Chief Mountain country. Mounted and
photographed by H. H. Stanford, Kal-
ispell.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE 111.
Photo, by M. P. Skinner. egoiM
FIG. 1.— A BAND OF OLD RAMS NEAR JUNCTION BUTTE IN YELLOWSTONE PARK.
Photo, by Walter S. Gibb.
FIG. 2.— MOUNTAIN SHEEP JUST BELOW TIMBERLINE IN GLACIER PARK.
Wild Animals Glacier Par
<.
PLATE IV.
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FIG. 1.— A BUNCH OF MOUNTAIN GOATS IN ALPINE MEADOW
• "■ r-?!»'" •Ui'"
Courtesy New Ynrk ZnoloRical Rorioly. biium
FIG, 2— MOUNTAIN GOAT IN BRONX PARK, NEW YORK CITY.
MAMMALS. 29
of tlio highest ridges and peaks wliere they seem to feel safe and can
sleep until the sun gets low in the west. Usuall}' about -i or 5 o'clock
they begin to come down from the steep cliffs and crags and before
dark are feeding in the little alpine meadows not far above timberline.
These daily climbs are evidently imj^osed upon them by the big nioun-
lain coj'otes, which are constantly prowling along the trails and over
the open slopes as high up as they dare go in search of 5''ouno- goats
and sheep or other game. Ovei' any of the high passes in the park,
as Tavo Medicine, Gunsight, Piegan, Swiftcurrent, and Kootenai,
goats may be seen from the trails, especiall^y in the early hours
of the day before they have worked up to the crests of the ridges.
At Iceberg Lake they may be found in the morning almost without
fail down near the trail, and later in the day may be seen as white
specks lying on the shelves of the great cirque which rises steeply
back of the lake. Their trails thread the narrow shelves and go up
step by step through niches and naiTow clefts to the very summit of
the Garden Wall, which here forms the Continental Divide. Some
of these trails, which I followed out through what seemed to be in-
accessible heights, were not difficult when I tried them with rough-
shod boots and sharp staff, although in many places four legs would
have given a better footing than only three. The heavj^ square
hoofs of the goat afford a most perfect climbing and clinging surface
for rock work, and are used with great skill and steadiness. The
goats are phlegmatic animals, apparently without nerves, and one is
compelled to admire their self-possession in situations where a mis-
step would mean sudden death.
In June of 1895, while climbing the east side of Going to the Sun
Mountain for a particularly fine specimen of an old billj' goat, I
kept an eye on an old nannie and her kid resting on a narrow shelf
high on the face of a cliff that seemed perfectly sheer in its descent
for a thousand feet below them. Presently a roar and crash impelled
me to lean toward the mountain side and make sure of my footing
before looking around to see a great mass of ice from the front of
the Sexton Glacier thundering down, to be ground into a cloud of
foamj' dust on the rocks hundreds of feet below. The prolonged
roar and heavy vibrations from the mass of grinding ice fairl}^ shook
the atmosphere if not the mountain side, and after my first impulse
to cling to something stable was the thought of the effect on the old
goat and kid located on the narrow shelf midway between me and
the avalanche. I expected to see them come dashing along the ledge
toward me, and was eager to see how they managed the narrow foot-
holds, but, much to my surprise, they seemed to take no notice &f
the disturbance and did not so much as get up out of their beds on
the narrow shelf. The whole display was in plain view from their
niche, but evidently it was a commonplace affair to them.
51140°— 18 3
30 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER, NATIONAL PARK.
A little later, in plain view of the two goats, an old gi'izzly bear
and her cub crossed one end of the glacier somewhat below, but
caused no excitement, and mj- presence on the other side on a level
with them seemed not to be noticed. The security of their position
apparently banished all fear, but in more accessible places they
usually show as much caution and timidity as other game animals
imder the same conditions of clanger. Like many of the high moun-
tain species of animals, however, the goats are usually so imfamiliar
with man and his destructive habits that for a game animal they are
comjiaratively tame.
In winter they seek the crests of the ridges at high altitudes, Avhere
the snow is swept from the dwarf plant growth and food is alwaj^s
available. Their dense coats of silky wool seem to be proof against
the severest cold and storms, but during a strong wind they seek the
sheltered side of the mountain or the protection of cliffs and rocks
and even caves. Above Iceberg Lake I found tjie well-used beds
back under little shelves of rock where the kids had apparently taken
shelter from wind and rain. Near Sexton Glacier, on the side of
Going-to-the-Sun Mountain, I saw two old goats emerge from
shadowy caverns in the rocks which liad entirely concealed them-dur-
ing the day. On the side of Chief Mountain, among the big bowlders
far above timberline, I tried to bring an old goat and her little kid
closer to me by throwing stones lieloAv them, but instead of coming up
where I was they quickly took refuge under the side of a huge bowlder
and refused to leave their shelter when the stones were striking the
rocks beyond them. In a few cases I was able to get near enough to
watch them feeding on the small mountain plants, but could not distin-
guish clearly which they selected for food. Apparently they grazed
at random among the little dwarf willows and in the beds of short
mountain grass and sedges, where a great variety of other plants also
were bedded together. Individual plants of a little water leaf [Pha-
ceJia) and mountain sorrel (Oxyrhi digyna) had been eaten off and
seemed to be rather favorite foods. Of their winter food little is
definitely known.
Earl_y in July tlie kids were well grown and probably about a
month old. Generally each mother goat was followed by one j'oung,
but Eanger Gibb tells me that in a number of cases he has found 1\yo
young following one old goat, and he thinks that twins are not rare
among them. The young of a month old seem to be as much at
home as their parents in climbing the cliffs and difficult trails, and
they even frisk on the steep snowbanks and walk the narrow crests
of ice and snow drifts for the mere sport of doing difficult stunts.
If their principal enemy, the coyote, were destroyed, it is probable
that the goats would be much more common along the trails and at
wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE V.
FIG. 1.— A FAMILY OF GOATS ON THEIR WAY DOWM THE MOUNTAIN SIDE TO
THE MEADOWS WHERE THEY FEED.
FIG. 2.— THE SAME FAMILY OF GOATS FEEDING IN AN ALPINE MEADOW NEAR
SEXTON GLACIER AT 4 P. M. ON JULY 28, 1917.
MAMMALS. 31
levels where the tourists could be on more intimate terms' with them.
Apparently they are hfildiiig their own and increasing somewhat, in
sjiite of the fact that coyotes prey upon them to- a considerable extent,
as is indicated by droppings alcjng the higher trails, which are com-
posed largely of goat wool and the hair of mountain sheep. As
goats are one of the greatest animal attractions in the park, their pro-
tection should be as complete as possible, and every care should bo
taken by visitors to avoid disturbing or frightening tliem.
Family ANTILOCAPRID^: Prong-horned Antelope.
Pkong-hoejvED Antelope: Antiloeapra amfrifmw cirnrrirrina
(Ord). — At the- present time there are no antelope in the Glacier
Park, and even back in 189.") there were said to be none there or on the
Blackfeet Indian Reservation, although they were, then connnon and
still are found to the east and south of this area. Their absence is
undoubtedly due to the persistent hunting which followed the disap-
pearance of the buffalo, as they must have ranged into the eastern
edge of the ^Dark in open strips of prairie, such as are found at the
lower end of St. Mary Lake and along the Swiftcurrent and Belly
Eivers. If a- buffalo pasture were inclosed in one of these warm,
open valleys, it would serve also as a suitable yearlong range to a few
of these rare and interesting animals.
Family CERVID/E: Moose, Elk, and Deer.
American ]\Ioose: Alces americanus- ajnericanits Jardine. — A few
moose are at ]3resent found along the east slope of the park in
densely wooded and swampy vallej's, such as those along Two Medi-
cine Creek, Eed Eagle Creek, Upper St. Mary River, upper Swift-
current Valle^y, and the branches of Belly River and the upper
AYaterton Valley, while on the west slope they are far more numerous
in the vallej's tributary to the North Fork of the Flathead River. In
the valleys above McDermott Lake, Ranger Gibb re])orts a cow and
calf and one bull moose during the summer of 1917, and says there
are a few in the valley on the South Fork of Belly River. In August
I saw one moose and a few tracks around the upper end of Glenn
Lake, on the North Fork of Belly River, and a few moose tracks
along the shores of McDonald Lake. J. E. Lewis tells me that in
July, 1917, an old bull moose swam across the lake in plain view
of the guests of the hotel. He says there are a large number of
moose on the west slope of the park north of Little St. Mary Creek
and all up through the North Fork Valley, but that they are rare in
the country south of Little St. Mary Creek, which is mainly elk
range. Ranger Gibb says that in winter considerable numbers
of moose yard near the mouth of Dutch Creek and on Camas Creek,
32 WILD ANTMAI.S OP CILACIER NATIOKAI. PAEK.
wliile other winter yards are found along Logging C'reelt and one
opposite the mouth of Starvation Creel-c. He would make no esti-
mate of the number of moose occupying this region, as, even with
his intimate knowledge of their range for many years, such an esti-
mate would be a mere- guess; but, from what he and other guides
and rangers and other residents of the country have told me, it
seems safe to place the probable number in the park at several hun-
dred individuals.
In 1895 I was told that moose were then more numerous in the jsark
than elk. Two had been killed that spring near St. Mary Lake and
others were reported in the valleys west of Upper St. Mary and Red
Eagle Lakes. At Summit Station I was told by a man who had been
there for several years, and had hunted and trapped in the country
now included in Glacier Park, that moose were common in the north-
ern part of the region, but were being rapidly destroyed by trappers
for bear bait. He estimated that for 100 bear that he had known to
be caught in that region no less than ."iOO moose and elk had been shot
for bait, and of these more moose than elk. He acknowledged that he
and his partner during one spring's trapjiing had killed about TO
moose and elk for bait. While it is to be hoped that this practice has
been greatly lessened in recent years, it is common knowledge that
bear trapping generally is a serious menace to the large game of any
region. The moose are evidently increasing in the park at present and
are spreading to other valleys where they were- formerly numerous.
The great extent of dense forest, containing lakes, marshes, and wil-
low thickets, constitutes ideal moose range over a large part of the
joark, where manj- thousands of the animals could range at will
without interfering with other kinds of game.
American Elk; Wapiti: Ccrvws cwiuulensis canadensis Erxle-
ben. — A few elk are still found along the east slope of the Glacier
Park, but they are scarce, shy, and widely scattered in small bunches.
Early in the spring of 1917 nine were reported lulled by the Indians
where they had been forced down by the heavy snows. In July I
found fresh tracks in the timber near Two Medicine Lake and a few
tracks in Roes Basin north of St. Mary Lake, and learned that a few
elk were reported around Red Eagle Lake the previous fall. Donald
Stevenson reported eight seen at the salt lick near Upper St. Mary
Lake in 1912, and a few on SAviftcurrent Creek in 1915. In August.
1917, I found old winter elk sign on the warm slopes of Belly River
valley near the park boundary, where a few elk had lived during
one of the preceding winters. In all, there may be 50 elk along the
east slope of the park, and it is doubtful if they are holding their own
against the severe climate and the necessity of coming down on to the
Indian Reservation in winter, where they are unprotected. On the
i
MAMMALS,
33
west slope of the park there are a few elk along the Middle Fork
of the Flathead Eiver from Little St. Mary Creek southward, where
they occupy the high valleys and ridges during suuuner and the lower
warm slopes in Avinter. In the spring of 1918 about 500 were reported
as having wintered on the slopes of Double and Rampage Mountains
and in Park Creek valley. The main elk range of this region, how-
ever, lies south of the park along Big River and the South Fork of
the Flathead River, and some of these animals undoubtedly wander
through the park at times. The southern and eastern part of Glacier
Park contains much ideal elk range, and if suitable wintering grounds
could be provided where the animals would be safe from molestation
their numbers would undoubtedly increase until the country would
become well stocked.
Fio.
-A flve-poin'c bull oik in early winter.
Mtjle Deer: Odocoileus heviionus heviionus (Rafinesque). — The
Rocky Mountain mule deer are readily distinguished at all ages from
the smaller white-tail deer b}^ their very large ears, small, white tail
with black tip, and conspicuous white rump patch, and the old
bucks by their forked antlers. They generally average considerably
larger than the white-tails, but size is not a safe distinguishing char-
acter. It is important to distinguish them, for a few of each are
found on both slopes, although the mule deer keep for the most part
to the east and the white-tails to the west slope, and both range into
the high mountains in summer, when they ma}^ be found close to-
gether. In July, 1917, mule deer were seen at the lower and upper
ends of St. Mary Lake, at ISIcDerinott Lake, and along the Swift-
34
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
current River; and in August their tracks were common along Ken-
nedy Creelv, Belly River, and in the Waterton Lake valley. Most of
those seen were does and fawns, and close to the buildings at Sun
Chalet an old doe and her spotted fawn were seen almost every da}',
up to July 25. During July and August many tracks and a few old
bucks were seen near timberline along the crest of the range. At
Granite Park, July 18, five bucks in red summer pelage, with
velvet-covered horns were seen together. A buck with horns in the
velvet was several times seen near Piegan Pass in the upper edge of
the Hudsonian Zone, and fresh tracks were seen near the Blackfeet
Glacier and in many other of the high sections, but the tracks do not
usually distinguish the species.
Generally, in midsummer, the
bucks are at the upper edge of
timber, where troublesome flies
and mosquitoes are swept away
by the wind, while the does hide
their fawns in the deep woods and
thickets of the lower levels and
depend on the dense cover and
water for protection from insect
pests. There is much shifting
back and forth as the deer are
disturbed, and their tracks often
show along the trails for consid-
erable distances. During the year
there is also a well-defined migra-
tion from the high-up range of
the bucks in summer down to the
steep, warm slopes of the lower
valley sides in winter. At the
lower end of Waterton Lake 75 or
100 mule deer were estimated last
winter to be along the warm rocky
slopes. Considerable numbers are said to winter along the warm
slopes of Swiftcurrent and St. Mary Lake valleys, where bare slopes
may usually be found and wdiere browse and winter food are abun-
dant. Some drift out of the park and are killed, but apparently
the deer are steadily increasing with the protection afforded them
by the park rangers. With the abundance of choice food and favor-
able wintering grounds many thousands of deer could occupy these
slopes, instead of the few hundred now to be found, but with the
present numbers of the large timber-inhabiting coyotes, which are
constantly prowding for fawns, there can be no rapid increase of such
game animals.
Fig, 4. — Head of mule deer killed on
Huckleberry Mountain. A perfectly
normal head of buck witb doubly
forked antlers, large ears, and- strongly
contrasted face markings.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE VI.
FIG. 1.— MULE DEER BUCK IN SHORT SUMMER RED COAT AND VELVET
HORNS, YELLOWSTONE PARK.
Photo, by Norman J. McClintock.
FIG. 2.— MULE DEER GATHER ABOUT FORT YELLOWSTONE TO BE FED
IN WINTER AND BECOME VERY TAME.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE VII.
M^
■*■'"■ VV
fe?:^^*^Svii^p-l^f|^
'^^'fi'ijr
^r----:. r .
^^^^H'j
a-
'M^ •: "U^di
|v jH IkSH^KljI
. ■,/■■.'■,■■"-•>.
FIG. 1.— WHITE-TAIL BUCK AND DOE AND FAWN IN SUMMER RED COATS.
TAME DEER CAPTURED NEAR WILLISTON, N. DAK.
J'hoto. by Albert Schlechteu.
FIG. 2.— WHITE-TAIL DOE IN LONG GRAY WINTER COAT, IN YELLOWSTONE
PARK.
Mammals.
3^
'Western White-tail Deer : Odocolleus vtrginiajius macrourus
(Eafinesque). — These small, graceful yellow deer are readilj^ distin-
guished from the larger mule deer by their long, bushy tails, Avhich
show white only when raised, by their small ears, and in the bucks
by horns with a single beam and upright prongs. The white
rump patch of the mule deer is lacking, but in running the tail of
the white-tail is throAA'n up and the long, white hairs are spread at
will, making an enormous fan-shaped flag that is far more conspicu-
ous than the white rump patch of the mule deer. White-tails are
abundant on the whole west slope of the park but are rarely found
in the valleys of the east slope. Their favorite ha.unts are the mead-
ows, thickets, and deep forests,
but in summer a few, especially
the old bucks, range high up in
the open areas near timberline.
The stream banks, lake shores,
and little meadows are their
favorite feeding grounds, but
their beds are found in dense
thickets or the deep woods in
summer, and their slender tracks
dot the margins of every pool and
stream and beach throughout this
•wonderful forested area. Their
numbers will never be known, but,
judging" from the abunxlance of
tracks and the extent of the range,
they must run' into the thou-
sands. If their enemies, the coy-
otes and mountain lions, could
be kept down, their increase
would be so- rapid that a great
overflow into surrounding areas
would inevitably take place. Even in their present abundance
they are often seen along the trails and near the hotels and
camps in summer. At Granite Park they are common, and in
crossing Kootenai Pass from Waterton Lake to Granite Park we saw
above timberline near the summit of the pass on the Avestern spur of
Cathedral Peak, or what the guides call Flat Top Mountain (not
the Flat Top of the map), a beautiful bunch of three bucks and
a yearling. They were lying in the shade of rock shelves on the cold
slope when first seen at 2 p. m., and allowed the saddle and pack
horses to come close up before they spread their great white tails
and loped over the ridge ahead of us-. They showed very little fear
and much curiosity, and would lope a little way in advance and wait
Fig. 5. — Head of white-tall deer at Bel-
ton, Mont., with characteristic single-
beam antlers, amall ears, and obscure
face markings.
36 WILD ANIMALS OP (II.ACIF.R NATIONAI, PARK.
tor US to come up, watching curiousl}', undecided whether to run or
stand their ground. While standing watching us the}' Itept raising
raid spreading their tails and occasionally waving them from side to
side, like signal flags. A yearling was especially active in waving
its tail, often switching it rapidly from side to side through a full
half circle. When the tail was raised and the lung lateral white
hairs thrown open on each side at right angles to the shaft, a huge
white fan, fully a foot wide and a foot and a half high, was produced.
This, set above the white hams and belly, screened most of the body
color of the deer and explains what seems to be an incomprehensible
expanse of white that, as the deer bound away through the brush and
woods in great curving leaps, shows one hnge flash after another, as
if the animals had no other color than white. As they stop and stand
with drooping tail the white is practically all concealed and the uni-
form yellow-brown of sunmier or light gray of winter renders them
inconspicuous, and in slight shadows often invisible. With these
deer, directive and jDrotective coloration is often more strongly em-
phasized than in the antelope, which are usually considered the best
illustration of the law of directive coloration.
White-tail deer are social, often running in family parties of an
old doe and her two fawns or larger parties of sometimes a dozen
individuals. In winter they are even more gregarious and in times
of deep snow often yard to some extent, keeping their trails well
packed so that free access to moss and browse and bushes insures
ample food for the severest weather.
In August they were feeding on the low plants of the Hudsonian
Zone meadows and slopes, but I could not determine the actual
species of plants selected for food. One old doe seemed to be nib-
bling at the beds of moss in a little alpine meadow, but she may have
been selecting tiny saxifrages or heather or even the low sedges
that grow among the white mossj^ cushions. As elsewhere, their
food probably consists mainly of buds, leaves, and browse of a great
variety of bushes, with seeds, flowers, and delicate tips of tender
plants. In winter the deer are said to feed on the lichens that hang
from the low branches in the deep woods, and on the twigs of hem-
lock, birch, and other trees, together with a great variety of shrubs.
Outside of the park the chief enemies of white-tail deer are bear
trappers, hunters, and the predatory animals, while in the park
the coyote and mountain lion are practically the only check on their
increase. The coyote droppings along the trails on the west slope
were composed mainly of deer hair, and as coyotes are numerous
in the timber and up the mountain sides, their destruction of both
fawns and groAvn deer is of serious consequence. That they do not
confine their killing to fawns is shown by an instance observed just
west of the park by W. C. Gird, one of the best-lolown park guides.
MAMMALS. 37
A coyote following a four-point b.uck was several times charged by it
and clri\'en away, until finally another coyote joined the first and
together they quickly caught and killed the buck before Gird could
reach them on his horse. A few mountain lions in the park range
mainly on the west slope, where the deer are most abundant and form
their principal prey. The control of such predatory species is neces-
sary to a good supply of game, even in a region so favorable to game
animals as the Glacier Park.
Order RODENTIA: Gnawing Animals.
Family SCIURID^: Squirrels, Chipmunks, Woodchucks, etc.
EiCHARDsoN Pine Squirrel : Sciurus hudsonicus richiirrUdni
Bachman. — The only tree scjuirrels in the park are the little dark-
red, bushy -tailed pine squirrels which are abundant throughout the
length and breadth of its timbered areas. Through the breeding sea-
son of spring and early summer they are quiet and inconspicuous, but
late in summer, in autumn, and in winter they are busy, noisj', and
much in evidence. As soon as the young are old enough to be out
of the nest and take care of themselves their cheery call note — a long,
high-pitched, vibrant cTierrrrrrrri^r — is heurd all through the woods,
most frequently in the early morning, but sometimes throughout
their dajdight working hours. The Canadian Zone coniferous forest
is their home, but occasionally they are found a little below its edges
on the eastern sloi^e and slightly into the yellow-pine Transition of
the Flathead Valley and also up into the edge of the dwarf timber of
the Hudsonian Zone. The overlapping, however, is not more than
is usual for a species which fuUj^ occupies its zone and scatters out
slightly at the edges. The lodgepole pine, more fully than any other
tree, marks their full range and furnishes board and lodging for more
of their numbers than does any other tree, although every conifer
contributes more or less to their food supply. Their nests are placed
indifferently in the branches of Douglas or Engelmann spruce, the
various pines, balsam, hemlock, tamarack, or cedar.
Before the seeds are fullj' matured in the cones they begin to serve ■
as food for the squirrels, and when well ripened the cones are cut from
pine, spruce, and fir trees in such numbers that the woods often re-
sound with their steady thumping on ground and logs. During au-
tumn great numbers of cones are cut off and stored in little pockets oi'
holes in the ground, under logs, rocks, or brush heaps, or in the piles of
old cone scales at the base of feeding trees, where they can be readily
found under the deep snows of winter. The long cones of the moun-
tain white pine are cut off and dragged into piles for winter food or
eaten on the ground, as they are too heavy to be held and eaten on the
branch of a tree. The big nutlike seeds of the scrubby Avhite-barked
pr;. — ^ pjty: C'CTCT- 132'^ ''
■\~
■OM, PA.
38 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
pine near timberline are a favorite food wherever they can be ob-
tained. The little hard cones of the lodgepole pine, with their small
seeds, mean hard work for small returns, but they are always abun-
dant and are easily held in the hands and eaten nutlike on the
branch of the tree. The small spruce, balsam, hemlock, and tamarack
cones are usually well filled with rich, oily seeds which are eagerly
sought by the squirrels, unless larger and more desirable seeds are
available. As there are no real nuts in the country the cones are
stored for winter, and the ample stores usuallj' last the squirrels until
the next fall's crop is ripe. In summer many mushrooms and some
green plants are eaten, and mushrooms are tucked away in dry places
or under the bark or on branches of the trees, where they become
well dried for winter food. Late in winter the squirrels evidently
feel the need of green food, as they often cut the tips from pine
branches and eat the inner bark of the twigs just back of the tips.
Some seeds and berries also are eaten in summer, and the squirrels
occasionally gather around the camps and hotels for scattered gi'ain,
crumbs, and scraps of such food as bread, butter, and bacon.
Each squirrel has its own hunting and storing ground where its
winter supplies are gathered and hoarded, and woe to any other
squirrel that invades its territory after the storing is begun. Owing
to the necessitj' of each squirrel's providing for its own needs in this
manner, the animals become solitary to a great extent, but indulge
their social instincts by loudly calling back and forth while at work.
In winter they scamper over the- crusted snow in great glee and in
evident enjoyment of the cold weather and the deep snow through
which they burrow to their tunnels underneath. In spring as the
snow disappears their network of tunnels made over the surface of
the ground is gradually exposed and disappears when no longer
needed.
In June the four to six young are born in the big grass nests up
among the branches of the trees or in well-lined hollow trunks.
For a long time they are naked and helpless, and apparently they
do not usually come out of the nests as half-grown squirrels until
the latter part of July. They are carefully watched and nursed
and fed by the mother squirrel until they have learned the ways of
the woods, and by the latter part of August have scattered out, each
storing his own winter supplies or all worldng and storing together
as a family for the winter's supply about the old parental tree.
Usually the families do not entirely break up before the following
sioring.
Apparently the cutting of cones and branch tips has no injurious
effect upon the forest, and the storing of cones aids in planting and
distributing tree groAvth. The stores of cones are often used by the
foresters as the best source of seed supply where tree seeds are being
MAMMALS. 39
fTitthered. Fortunately for the squirrels they have neither incurred
the enmity of man nor are they in danger through their value for
fur or as game. Their natural enemies — hawks, owls, foxes, cats, and
martens^are not sufficiently numerous to keep their numbers down
below the normal, and they are likely to remain as permanent resi-
dents of the forests. They are easily tamed and make interesting and
attractive pets, whether in captivity or coming only for food to the
camps and hotels.
Flying Squirrel: Glaucomys sabrinus latipes Howell. — This very
large, dark-colored flying squirrel is common throughout most of the
timbered area of the Glacier Park, but seems to be most abundant on
the west slope and at the lower levels. There are no specimens on
record from within the park boundaries, but one that I took in 1895
at Nyack, just across the river from the park, is referred by Howell
to Glaucomys sabrinus latipes. Another specimen taken at Paola
proves to be nearer the slightly smaller and paler G. s. hajigsi, which
not improbably occupies the higher levels and possibly the eastern
slope of the park, as it is more closely related to the northern
Glaucomys sairinus.
Flying squirrels are so strictly nocturnal, so soft and owl-liJve in
their structure and habits, that they are not often seen except by the
naturalist-collector or the professional trapper. They may be com-
mon about camps in the deep woods every night, but with their furry
feet and softly fui-red monoplane membranes they glide from tree
to tree so noiselessly that they are rarely seen. The collector usually
gets his specimens in traps set on logs or stumps in the woods or
about some old camp ground or in deserted cabins, where the squir-
rels come to pick up scattered scraps of food. The trapper finds
them frequently in his marten traps set out through the heavy
forests and baited with meat, birds, rabbits, or squirrels. The flying
squirrels probably get into the traps through curiosity rather than
because of a carnivorous taste, and then serve their turn as an
attractive bait for the martens. Some trappers have reported dozens
and others hundreds of flying squirrels caught on their winter's
trap line through this region. The animals are unsuspicious and
easily caught in box traps set in the woods, and in this way could
be made available for examination and study, but otherwise the only
possibility of their being seen by tourists and the visiting public is
by awakening them in their nests during the daji;ime with blows of
ax or club on the hollow trees in which they sleep.
Large woodpecker nest cavities in trees are favorite homes for
the flying squirrels, but any hollow trunk with a small opening
answers their purpose, and it is probable that, like other species,
they build the outside nests of grass, moss, and bark fibers on the
branches much as do the pine squirrels. In the soft-lined and well-
40
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER, NATIONAL PABK.
protected nests the fcnir to six young are born and nursed by the
mother until old enough to come out and gather their own food at
night. With their big bbck eyes, soft fur, and rounded heads they
are almost owl-like in appearance as well as habits, and if taken while
young become very tame and make delightful pets. They are active
all winter, and become so densely furred that the cold has no terrors
for them, even at night when it is most bitter. No matter how deep
the snow, they tra'i'el freely from tree to tree gathering their food
from the seeds of conifers or from the stores of cones cut off in
autunm ajid put away where they can be found under the deep snow.
Occasionally a track is seen where one has dropped with widespread
feet upon the snow tn the middle of an open space, either to burrow
B2I9M
Fig. 6. — No. 1, Yellow-bellied chipmunk ; No. 2, pale 13-linecl ground squirrel ; No. 3,
mantled ground squirrel. Skins from study series in United States National Museum
collection.
down to the ground and come out at some distant place or to lope over
the surface of the snow to the nearest tree or stump or log, where food
is to be found. They seem to be even more omnivorous than most
squirrels, and besides eating a wide variety of seeds thej' are fond of
almost any camp provisions, including biscuits, crackers, prunes,
raisins, rolled oats, or scraps of bacon and other meat.
Yellow-bellied Chipmunk : Eutamias luteiventris (Allen) . — The
yellow-bellied chipmunk is the middle sized of the three species inhab-
iting the Glacier Park, and while all have the many-striped back,
this is the only one with the j'ellow extending across the belly in a way
to give it its common name. Only when they sit up is this character
shown, however, and as they scamper over the ground it is not always
easy to tell one species from another.
MAMMALS. 41
These are the abuiuhint chi])nimiks around the liotels and camps
and along the traiL in the lower le\'els of both slopes of the park.
Their principal range is along the lower edge of the timbered slopes,
but in many places where- the conditions are especially favorable it
extends np on open slopes nearly to timberline. At Glacier Station
they were common along the creek from the hotel well up the side of
the mountain. A few were seen on Two INIedicine Lake and at the
lower end and along the north side of kSt. JMary Lal^e. They were
common in the Swiftcurrent Valley, along Kennedy Creek, in the
Belly Eiver valley, ;ind at the Waterton Lakes, where, in 1ST4, the
type was collected bj' Dr. Elliot Coues; also on the west-sloi)e ai-ound
Lake McDonald, at Belton, and in the Xortli Fork Valley. They rarely
climb trees and much prefer logs and stumps and brush patches, slide
rock, or such cover as they can hnd about the caui]3s and hotels. Their
homes are underground, among rocks, or in hollow logs, and they
rarely go far from their burrows or from retreats into which they can
quickly escape their numerous enemies. At Many Cirlacier Hotel sev-
eral were in the habit of coming for scattered criun))S to the kitchen
door, and for oats to the place where horses were being fed. They had
become so tame that they would take food from the hands of some of
the employees with whom they became friendly, but occasionally were
scared away by some one foolishly trying to catch them. It was a
source of dailj- interest to watch them come for food and fill their
cheek jjoiiches until thej' bulged out on both sides, then rush away
to a l.)urrow under some rock, where the pockets were emptied into
their winter storehouse. They were easily photographed at 4 or 6
feet from the camera, but their motions are so quick that usually
only snapshots are possible.
As a chipmunk gathers the scattered oats around a feed box he
shells each seed as it is held between his thumbs and in a twinkling
tucks it into a pocket and goes after another. The pockets grow-
rapidly in size as the animal works, and often in a- space of five min-
utes they M'ill contain a good load for the granary. The chipmunks
are strictly diurnal in habits, and though industrious do not observe
union hours. Thej' work from sunrise to sunset, with a long siesta
at noontime. From midsummer until the snows cover their food
plants they work with great energy, and the stores of seeds, grain,
and nutlets which they lay away are evidently ample to carry them
through the long cold winter. They do not become/ excessively fat
in autumn and no one knows whether they really hibernate in their
underground dens or Avhether they merely doze and sleej) and eat
in their warm nests under the (lee]i snow. The first light snow does
not drive them into their dens, but after it becomes deep and the
weather is cold they are not seen, and renuiin hidden until the. warm
clays of April begin to bring bare spots on the hillsides.
.51140°— 18 4
42 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIEB NATIONAL PARK.
The, five or six young are born late in May or early in June. By
the first of July they are out playing and learning the ways of chip-
munk world, and by August they, too, are busy storing away winter
supplies. Occasionally in theii- eager seai'ch for food they appro-
priate camp supplies not intended foi' them, Ijiit in* most cases they
are welcome visitors to camp, and their' sjiritcly ways and cheery
chijiper along the trails add one more bright and attractive phase
to the animal life of the park.
Forest Chipmunk: Evfamkif; vmhrinus fclix (Ehoads). — These
large, bushy-tailed, white-bellied chii^imunks are readily distin-
guished from the yellow-bellied b}' their slightly' larger size and
richer colors, in strong contrast to their pure white bellies. Mainly
forest dwellers, they climb trees readily, and if frightened often go
up a tree instead of down into the ground. Their voices also are
shar])er, more shrill, and l)irdlike, both, in their slow chip! chip!
chip! and in their rapid and sometimes frantic chipper of alarm.
They are not abundant and are seen only occasionally, generally in
the Canadian Zone forest of the middle slopes of the park. In 189.")
specimens were collected along thC' south side of St. Mary Lake, and
others Avere taken at Summit and Paoja. In 1917 one was found
living among the ruins of the old chalet at the- lower end of Gun-
sight Lake, but even in this mass- of ruins when alarmed it took
refuge in a spruce tree nearby. Forest chipmunks seem less friendly
than the abvnidant little yellow-bellied spee-ies, but this is doubtless
due to their scarcity and lack of frequently coming in touch with
people. The. four or five young are born in June, and the same cycle
of breeding, storing food, and sleeping through the long winters is
gone through each year.
Little Mountain Ciiipjiunk: Euta'muis oreocetes Merriam. —
This tiny chipmunk, pale-yelloAvish with pure white belly, is appar-
ently common at timberline along the crest of the range throughout
the park. The type specimen was collected in 189.5, at 7,500 feet,
on the high ridge, north of Summit Station on the Great Northern
Eailroad, and in 1917 two more were taken in Piegan Pass at 7,-1:00
feet altitude, and others were seen in (iunsight Pass at 7,500 feet.
All of those collected and others seen have been at or near the ex-
ti-eme ujiper limit of dwarf tree growth or on slopes several hundred
feet above. They are usually found among the rocks, scampering
over them like tiny nervous sjn-ites, never still for a moment, Hashing
from one stone or little alpine ]5lant to another, or dashing in and
out among rocks or under ])rostrate branches of dwarfed trees. In
I'iegaii Pass I followed one for some distance as it ran over the rocks,
apparently with some distant object in view, until it came to a little
creek that emerged from under a great snow bank. It quickly dis-
MAMMALS. 43
appeared over the edge of tlie rocks down into the cavern, where the
Avater was roaring, and. after getting a drink, flashed back and out
over the great snow field ; otliers were seen sitting on the tips of some
sliarp peaks of rock, flipping their slender tails and uttering a weak
little chip! chip! chip! When startled in the trails where they were
hunting for scattered grain they would rush away to the rocks with
a fine rapid chipper that corresponded well with their diminutive
size and sparklike motions. They were eagerly collecting seeds from
some of the tiny alpine plants, and in Piegan Pass one taken for a
specimen had filled its cheek pouches with crumbs of bread from the
hmches of passing tourists. On August 3 the j'oung of the year were
nearly full grown and were as busy as their parents in search of
seeds. In their high alpine world the summers are short, and for
about nine months of each j^ear they are buried deep und.er the snow.
They do not become fat in autumn, and it is doubtful if they hiber-
nate to the full extent that the ground squirrels do. Thus they have
to work fast to obtain the large supply of seeds needed to carry them
through the winter. As grains of oats scattered along the trails by
the- horses are eagerly sought by them, tourists may look for them
wherever the trails cross'the highest passes in the park.
Maktled Ground Squirrel: CaUospermophHus lateralis cinera-
xcens (Merriam). — Mantled gromid squirrels are generally spoken of
as large chii:)munks, which they somewhat resemble in the heavy black
and buffy side stripes, moderately bushy tails, and bright Ijrown
or grayish brown' heads and shoulders, but they are more like the
ground squirrels in having heavy bodies, rather short ears, and the
burrowing habits of true ground squirrels. In structure they are
somewhat intermediate between the two groups and are well placed
in. a genus by themselves.
While generally distributed over the whole- Glacier Park region,
they are usually not numerous. In 1895 a- specimen was taken -at
Summit on the railroad, a few: at St. Mary Lake, and others were
seen on Flat Top Mountain north of the lake: and in 1017 they were
found at Sun Camp on St. Mary Lake, in Gunsight Pass, Piegan Pass,
at Many Glacier, and about Waterton Lake. They are generally
seen about the hotels or camps where,coming for scattered grain and
crumbs, they soon become very tame. At Many Glacier Hotel one
was in the habit of coming daily to the kitchen door and to the place
where saddle horses were hitched to the trees and occasionally fed
oats, and he would take food from the hands of several of the
employees who had cultivated his acquaintance. To the children
especially, one of the interesting features of the day was to watch
him tilling his capacious cheek pouches with crumbs, peanuts, or
grain, until they bulged out on both sides of his neck, before he
scampered away to unload his stores into an underground chamber in
44 AVILD ANIMALS OF (iLAGIER NATIONAL PABK.
the slope above the h(}teh One came to a. feed box below the hotel
near' the edge of the lake, and another could nsually be found on the
rocks near the chalet or along the canyon walls above the waterfall
where the river leaves the lake. They also were so tame that their
pictures could be taken at. a distance (if only 4 or 6 feet from the
camera, 'and often in very pretty attitudes as they sat on the rocks or
squatted, on their heels' shelling the oats before putting them in their
cheek pouches. At the north end of Waterton Lake two were in the
habit of coming to a 'place where horses had been fed on the ground,
and on several occasions I was able to secure photographs. As I sat
on the ground with the camera open they would feed all around me
with very little sign of alarm, and one gave beautiful illustrations
of muscular control of its tail. While sitting up watching me it
would often spread the tail to full width by drawing the skin for-
ward on each side imtil every hair stood out at right angles to the
axis, giving the tail a width of about an inch and a- half instead
of the usual half inch. It would thus spread and then close the
hairs slowly, just as a ruffed grouse often spreads and closes the tail
as it struts through the woods. I could not be sure whether the
motion was due to fear or surprise or a wish to puff itself up and
frighten me or another intruder of its- own species awaJ^ or whether
it was merel3' a vain displa)^ of its beautiful plume. Fortunately one
of my photographs showed this one's tail partially spread, its width
strongly ccntrasted with that of another individual in the same snap-
shot. It soon became accustomed to my presence, and would pay no
attention to me while l)usily filling its cheek pouches with oats which
had been scattered on the ground 'by the horses. Its nose was run
rapidly over the siirface of the ground until an oat was discovered
and quickly picked up in the teeth, and in about three motions as
quick as a flash the hull was removed and the kernel tucked into a
cheek pouch, t^omctimes the grain was held in one hand and grasped
between the fingers and the palm as the animal sat up on its heels,
but generally it was held between the two thumbs to be shelled.
The squirrels work so rapidly that in a few minutes the cheek pouches
begin to bulge, and in 10 or 15 minutes are puffed out like a bad case
of mumps, and then the animals run away and a little later return
with pockets empty. In Gmisight and Piegan Passes they were seen
on the rocks near extreme timberline, where they were gathering seeds
from the little wild plants and gleaning a few scattered oats along
the horse trails. They are generally found near rocks, old logs, or
other secure cover under which they burrow and make their winter
homes. They rarely climb frees, although in emergency thev can
cliinb to escape from danger. They are quiet little animals, not so
(juick and nervous as the chipmunks and generally silent. On rare
wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE VIM.
1.— MANTLED GROUND SQUIRREL IN CHARACTERISTIC UPRIGHT POSITION
OF WATCHFUL ALARM, WATERTON LAKE.
FIG. 2.— MANTLED GROUND SQUIRRELS FEEDING ON SCATTERED OATS AT
OLD CAMP ON WATERTON LAKE, THE ONE IN FOREGROUND WITH
SPREAD TAIL.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE IX.
FIG. 1.— SIDE-HILL BURROW AND MOUND OF EARTH THROWN OUT BY
COLUMBIA GROUND SQUIRREL NEAR PIEGAN PASS.
The burrow excavated and mapped is shown in text figure 7.
FIG. 2.— COLUMBIA GROUND SQUIRREL AND BURROW AT McDERMOTT LAKE,
JULY, 1917.
MAMMALS. 45
occasions one may be heard to make a long- shrill squeak or whistling
note, but this is so rai'e that few people ever notice it.
The li\'e or six young are born in Ma.y or June and by August are
well grown and caring for themselves. Like tlie ground squirrels
and unlike the chipmunks, they become extremely fat during the
summer, and before the cold weather begins they enter their warm
r.nderground" nests, where apparently they hibernate for the long
winter period, or from September to April. Just when the winter's
stores of seeds and grain are eaten is not. definite^ known, but they
are probably intended to tide the sleepers over the beginning and
end of their hibernation period, when food is scarce or they are too
sleepy to go after it.
CoLUJiBiA Ground Squirrel : Cltdlus coIii7nhianus (Orel) . — Colum-
bia ground squirrels, or, as often called, picket pins, and, incorrectly,
gophers, ai'e in many places in the park the most abundant and con-
spicuous mammals to be found. The_y are among the largest of the
ground squirrels. An unusuallj^ large old male at Many Glacier
weighed 1^ pounds, and while not fat, was nearly twice as heavjr as
some of the. others taken at the same place. They have short legs,
short bushy tails, and short ears, and in every respect are adapted to
their mode of life on the surface and under the ground. Even their
coarsely mottled graj' coats, with the reddish-brown nose and throat,
lowerparts, and hams, are protectively imitrtive of the colors of the
ground.
They occupy practically all of the open country along the lower
borders of the park and throughout the Hudsonian Zone, but do not
enter the heavily timbered areas. At Glacier Station the}'' were com-
mon along the creek valleys, and in Swiftcurrent Valley they i>re
abundant from the Sherburne Lakes west to McDermott Lake, and
thence almost continuously through the open slopes and burnt strips
up to Iceberg Lake and Swiftcurrent Pass. Xone were seen in the
Kennedy or Belly Eiver valleys, but in the Waterton Lake valley
they are abundant, and also in the high country around Boundary
Peak, over Kootenai Pass, on Flat Top Mountain, at Granite Park,
Piegan Pass, Gunsight Lake and Pass, and around the Blackfeet
(ilacier. On the west slope I found old burrows on the western arm
of Stanton Mountain, and collected specimens on the high ridge just
south of Nyack near the southern line of the park. In the North
Fork Valley they were common from Camas Creek to Big Prairie,
on April 15, 1918, but were not yet out on Round Prairie. The
open slopes and little parks and meadows of the Hudsonian Zone
are their favorite range in this region, and here they become very
numerous and are generally conspicuous and noisy in the open spaces
along the trails. Sometimes a dozen or more may be seen running
46 WTLD ANIMALS OF OLACIEE NATIONAL PARK.
Ilirougii the <;Tass and llowerw ahead of a ])rtrty of tourists, and their
loml fhirpiiiji; notes may be heard up and down the slopes for a long
ilisfancc as they rush for their burrows and then stand erect watch-
ing for (huiger and passing along the ahirni call. They are not
usually found actually above tiniberline, but in many places are
common among the dwarfed trees only a little below, and on open
slopes or in the path of avalanches or fire-swept strips they range
clear through the Canadian Zone to the open areas lower down.
Columbia ground squirrels are strictly ground dwellers, never
climbing trees but often seen on logs- and rocks, where they sit to
watch for danger. Their burrows enter the sidehills or the flat
ground wherever there is sufficient soil to give room for comfortable
winter cpiarters. About the hotels and chalets they often live under
the buildings and sit on the porches when no one is around. They
gather at camp sites to pick up scraps of scattered food, and sit on
the abandoned benches and tables, in places becoming very tame
and confidential. Generally, however, they are wary and suspicious,
for their enemies are more numerous than their friends. They are
rarely found far from their burrows, and when alarmed all rush to
the nearest burrow or slielter, no matter to whom it 'belongs. Their
little roadway's lead through the grass from one burrow to another
and radiate out from the central dens into the meadows where they
feed. Their call notes render them conspicuous where they would
not otherwise be noticed. The first one that discovers an approaching
enemy or suspicious character gives a loud churp! which is quickly
taken up by others within hearing, and soon the word has been passed
along far and wide. As one walks through their meadows these
notes are heard on all sides. At first the note is a loud churp! churp!
churp! at intervals of two or three seconds, repeated by each of the
animals, but as the danger approaches the warning becomes more
vigorous and rapid until w.th a final shriek of blended churps the
nearest animal disappears down its burrow and. others beyond double
tlieir energy in giving the alarm. The notes vary under ditferent
conditions. When a sharp-shinned hawk came swooping over an
alpine meadow the notes were especially soft and did not seem to
indicate much alarm. At another time when a large hawk was cir-
cling overhead their notes were shrill and almost frantic. Different
tones and inflections e\'idently convey to them difl'erent meanings,
but to ^'I'liat extent they use vocal communication is miknown. A
(luick sharp note of the mother s(iuirrel sends the brood of young
scampering down the burrow, while her softer tones only induce them
to seek the edge of the burrow where they may await further in-
structions.
Their food consists largely of a great variety of green vegetation —
leaves and buds and flowers and seeds of the mountain plants. The
MAMMALS. 47
contents of their stomachs iisiiiilly show a finely jnasticated mass of
green j^nlp, in which fil)ers of roots, bulhs, and ])lant steins may be
detected among the strealvS and spots of bright-colored th)Wcr and
berry stains, some particles of seed capsnles, and occasionally bits of
grasshoppers and other insect or animal remains. Their stomachs
are large and, except early in the morning, seem always to be filled
to their utmost cajiacity. The tender, starchy bidbs of the great
dogtooth violet are one of their favorite foods and often the moun-
tain sides are thickly pitted with little cavities from which the squir-
rels have extracted them. Camas and onions and other small bulbs
also are dug and eaten and the seed-laden heads of grasses are a
favorite autumn food. Toward the close of the season the squirrels
find more ripening seeds and these form a greater share of their food
than earlier. Consequently at this season they are taking on the
necessary winter's fat more rapidly and their appetites and capacity
seem to know no bounds.
Usually four to six young are born early in May in the warm
grassy nests underground, and early in June these are beginning to
appear outside the burrows, Avhere they play aljout in interesting
little family groups. A month later they are half-grown, getting
their own food from the green plants, flowers, berries, and insects,
and are growing rapidly. By the first of September they are nearly
full-grown, and even the young have accumulated a considerable
quantity of fat inside their skins for winter fuel.
The old males are the first to become very fat and hibernate, and,
strange to say, those at the lower levels hibernate considerably earlier
than those high up in the mountains, apparently because they have
had more time to accumulate their store of fat. The old females are
next to disappear, and last of all the later broods of young which
were still busily gathering food near timberline up to August 24,
long after inost of the animals had disappeared from the surface in
the low valleys. In their big warm nests deep underground they
sleep through the long winter, apparently without waking, as no
food is stored for winter use and they must depend entirely on their
supply of fat. Early in April they begin to reappear in the lower
part of their range, but it is probable that they are considerably later
in emerging from hibernation at the upper levels, which at that time
are still deeply buried in snow.
Their winter dens are well made and the best of them are used
year after year. On July 27, at 7,000 feet altitude near Piegan
Pass, I selected one of the numerous large mounds over the mountain
side for a careful study of the den. A little fresh earth was being
added to the mound each day. A trap set at the entrance caught a mod-
erately fat old female that was evidently preparing her winter quar-
ters. The mound at the entrance of the burrow contained about -i
48
WILD ANIMALS OF fILAOIER NATIONAL PARK.
ffachdooi
Toihf
bushels of earth and stones brought from the burrow, and the lower
part was packed and hard as though an accumulation of several years.
There were two other openings farther back from which no earth
had been thrown and evidently thoy had been tunneled to the surface
from below. The main shaft of the burrow was usiudly ;> or -1- inches
in diameter, and back a couple of feet from the entrance, just before
the burrow forked into two main shafts, was a roomy chamber where
the sfjuirrels could turn around and sit up comfortably, a sort
of reception room. Kear secondary forks were also two other
chambers which may have served several purposes, such as con-
venience in storing earth brought out of the tunnels, or places of re-
treat from whicli to watch for enemies that might enter the burrow
from either direction. Well back
about 8 feet from the entrance and a
foot below the surface of the ground
was a lai'ge nest chamber about a foot
in diameter nearly filled with old soft
nest material. The nest was composed
almost entirely of the soft flat leaves
of the brown " glacier grass " {Jun-
coi/les parvifloruTn) which abundantly
covers the mountain slopes. At the
bottom it was damp and moldy, but
from the bed in the center to the top,
it was dry and clean, and a few fresh,
green blades had been brought in for
food or nest material. It had evi-
dently served as winter quarters for
the old squirrel and as a nest for her
young and was being prepared for the
coming winter. From one side of the
nest chamber the burrow led down to
an older and deeper chamber of some
previous year, containing at the bottom an old rotten nest half full
of excrement. A tunnel ran from it back toward the main entrance
and into the main tunnel near the middle, making an easy way of
escape if an enemy should dig to the first nest. Back of the nest a
small shaft led to the surface of the ground and another opened
out at the end of the first main fork of the tunnel. These rear open-
ings were half concealed in the grass and evidently were for use as
avenues of escape in case the burrow should be entered by a weasel
or dug out hy bear or badger.
Many places were found where bears had dug for the squirrels,
teai'iug up great tough sods of bear grass and even small trees and
large stones in their effoits to get at the nest. In many cases they
F'IG. 7. — Plan of underground den of
Columbia ground squirrel as ex-
cavated and mapped near Piegau
Pass, July 2T, 1917.
MAMMALS. 49
had evidently been successful in making a meal of a nice fat ground
squirrel, as the nest had been pulled out and apparently no avenue of
escape had been i)rovided. Probably the bears are more successful
in this kind of hunting after the squirrels have gone into their winter
dens and become torpid, as most of the digging seemed to have been
done late in fall.
The edible qualities of these squirrels have been discovered not
alone by bears, as badgers, coyotes, foxes, cats, and hawks are fond
of them. Some which I had collected for specimens and broiled
on sticks over the coals of the camp tire were pronounced delicious
by every member of the party. The young of the year are certainly
as good as any young tree squirrel, and some of the party pronounced
them better than young rabbit or chicken. In places where the
squirrels have become so numerous as to be troublesome about camps
or injurious to the meadows, it would not be difficult to control their
abundance by allowing the campers to snare enough of them for their
supplj^ of camp meat. Any boy with a piece of string and a little
patience would be able to provide a good mess of squirrels in a morn-
ing's hunt.
Richardson Ground Squirrel: Cltellus rlchardsonl (Sabine). —
The common flickertails of the Plains are small, plain 3'ellowisli
ground squirrels, like miniature prairie-dogs. They are Plains ani-
mals, reaching into the eastern edge of Glacier Park only on the
tongues of open ground. The only place where they are actually
common within the boundaries of the park is at the lower end of St.
Mary Lake, but they have been reported above the Sherburne Lakes
in the Swiftcurrent Valley, and they come close to the park line
in the Cut Bank, the Bell}' River, and Waterton Valleys. Along the
stage road from Glacier to St. Mary they are in places abundant and
consi^icuous over the prairies, as also they are from St. Mary around
to the Swiftcurrent Valley, so that a. trip through the park implies
a rather close acquaintance with these little squirrels.
They are strictly prairie dwellers, living in the open and depend-
ing on keen sight and hearing for ])rotection from their numerous
enemies, and on their skill in disappearing underground in case of
danger. From the road their sharp whistle is frequently heard,
and at a little distance they may be seen standing straight up in
the grass like picket pins, which they are often called, but on nearer
a])proach they quickly drop to the ground and disappear as by magic.
In places the low mounds of earth at their burrows dot the valleys
and their runways form a network through the short grass.
On bright summer mornings they are esi3ecially busy gathering
food from the leaves, stems, seeds, and roots of numerous prairie
50 WILD AXIMALS OP GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
plants, or cliiising gTasslio2)i)er,s and crickets, Avliich form an im-
portant part of their summer food. Farther out among the wheat
fi(dds tliev gather from far and near and hiy a hea\v tribute on the
har\est of grain, but in the park they dO' little damage and are an
ever-present source of interest.
The young are born early in IMay, and before the end of the month
they are out gathering food and playing about the burrows in family
l^arties usually of four to six. By the first of September the young
are nearly full grown and have accumulated a sufficient stock of fat
to carry them through the winter. With the first cold weather all
disappear in their underground nests, where tliey sleep soundly until
the warm days of early sjiring return. The nest burrows are usually
simple and not very extensive, so that badgers dig out great num-
bers of the squirrels all through the summer, and even after they
have hibernated, until the ground becomes well fi'ozen.
Striped Grofno Squirkel: CiteJhis tridecemlineatus pallidus
(Allen). — The pale, western form of the 13-lined ground squirrel nurv
usually be recognized by the parallel lines of dark brown on a ground
color of buff over the upperparts. They are slender, almost weasel-
like, animals, with short ears and slightly bushy tails. So protec-
tively colored are they that in the prairie grass they are rarely seen,
but their shrill bubbling trill is often heard along the roadsides.
These squirrels also are prairie dwellers and come into the Glacier
Park only in a few open spots along the eastern border. In 1895 a
fevf were found at the lower end of St. Mary Lake, and others along
the railroad at the southern edge of the park in open spaces nearly
to the summit of the range. They were reported in the Swiftcurrent
Valley between Sherburne and McDermott Lakes, and conditions are
favorable for them in the Belly River valley well into the park.
In habits they are shy and secretive, keeping much under the cover
of the prairie grasses and low vegetation, and even the doorways of
their burrows are often well hidden.
Their food consists largely of seeds, with some green vegetation,
and usually a larger projiortion of insects than with most ground
squirrels. Their regular cycle of habits — hibernating through the
long winter, breeding early in spring, caring for the young, and
storing up a winter's supply of fat — is similar to that of many other
sjjecies. In places where they are numerous they do much damage
in the grain fields, but here on the western border of their range
they are so scarce and inconspicuous that they are not even much
of a feature of interest, except to the field naturalist, who is alwaj's
looking for the rarer kinds of animal life.
Glacier Hoary Mahmot: Marmota calujata nivarut Howell. —
The gi'eat gray mountain marmots are about twice the size of the
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE X.
FIG. 1.— RICHARDSON GROUND SQUIRREL.
Photo, by E. R. Warren.
FIG. 2.— PALE THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRREL.
>t^r\
«■ V*»- vrf"
MAMMALS. ^ 61
ordinary woodcluick and A-ary in color from a yell&wifeiltJJf<iv'ifS^j|
midsummer to a liglit gray winter coat in fall and spring. The head,
feet, and tail are always dark, but a white band around the nose in
front of the eyes is usually a conspicuous mark, even at a distance.
They live mainly in the Hudsonian Zone, but often range over the
open slopes of the Arctic-Alpine above the exti'cme limits of timber-
line. Apparently they fill the Avhole Hudsonian Zone area of the
Glacier Park region and may be seen on every high pass over which
trails lead. They are common at Cracker and Iceberg Lakes, over
Gunsight, Piegan, Swiftcurrent, and Kootenai Passes, and on the
ridge at the head of Kintla Lake. They extend also north through
the Canadian Eockies and south to the Bitterroot and Sawtooth
Mountains of Idaho, while closely related forms are found in Alaska
and the northern Cascades.
In habits they are burrowers in open country where they depend
largel}^ on rocks for the protection of their dens and on rock towers
or ledges for lookouts from which to watch for numerous enemies. As
some of them seem always to be on guard, a long, evenly sustained
and piercing whistle usually greets the tourist before the whistler
is visible. The alarm note is generallj' taken up and repeated along
the mountainside, while every little and big whistler that is out
feeding lopes for the meadows or snow banks or the nearest rock
pile, where it can also gain a wide view. Having short legs and
heavy bodies, their only protection from nmnerous enemies is con-
stant vigilance and close proximity to sheltering crevices and caverns
among the rocks, where, to escape bears, coyotes, or golden eagles,
they can quickly take refuge. They are occasionally seen crossing
the great snow fields or the glaciers from one point of rocks to
another, and on the pass at the head of Kintla Lake one old fellow
had a well-worn trail from his fortress on the rock cliff across a
Avide bare slope to the only patch of gi-een Avillow-carpeted turf
within reach. Occasionally a big burrow is found on the sidehill in
the open, but generally they are located under the edge of some
great boAvlder or go into the ground underneath a heap of broken
rocks at the base of some clitf, or back in a crevice between rock walls
that will admit no larger animal. In these rocky fortresses the
animals are comparatively safe, but in the open the bears occasion-
allv dig out their dens and feast upon the occupants. Marmots are
good climbers and are often seen high on the face of clilfs where
they could go only by the help of their strong curved toenails.
After a hearty meal they spend much time sunning themselves on
the cliifs and rock pinnacles where they have a wide \iew over the
country and can absorb the rare Avarmth of the sun's rays in these
high altitudes.
52 WILD ANmAI,S OI'' (JJ^ACTl'Ji NATIONAL TATiK.
Their food consists iiii\inly of green vegetiition, and they are often
seen grazing in the meadows, picking tlie various little plants and
eating them, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds, and all. I have not been
able to determine the species eaten, but their large stomachs usually
contain a well-masticated mass of green herbage with traces of
flowers, seeds, and stems. One old fellow in Kootenai Pass, when
suddenly alarmed while feeding, rushed to the top of a big bowlder
with his mouth still full of green leaves which he slowly chewed
while watching me.
Along the trails over tlie high passes marmots gather to pick up the
scattered oats left by the horses, and are often so eager for this un-
usual feast that they would let me take snapshots at 15 or 20 feet
before they would leave the trails. The constant passing of tourists,
pack trains, and saddle horses is teaching them confidence in these
strange new denizens of the park, and evidently with a little care and
feeding they could be coaxed into tameness.
The young are born apparently about the first of June, as a female
collected May 27, 1895, contained five well-grown embryos. At the
same time several specimens of half-grown young of the previous
year were collected, which sliows that the j'oung do not fully mature
the first year, but apparently reach maturity and a breeding age by
the second spring. On August 1, 1917, in Gunsight Pass a family of
four young about the size of ground squirrels were photographed
among the rocks by the side of the trail while their mother whistled
loudly from a ledge above our heads. On August 4: two young about
quarter grown were seen in Piegan Pass, and in Kootenai Pass on
August 22 several small young were seen among the rocks. In every
case the mother was near and was very solicitous for their safety.
"Whether these small young are able to lay in sufficient food to carry
them thi'ough the winter s hibernation or whether thej' are nursed by
the mother up to the time of hibernation Inis not lieen determined,
liut that they come through the winter in good condition is indicated
by the half-grown specimens collected in May.
Like all hibernating mammals, marmots have large stomachs and
good digestion and assimilation. After the breeding season is over
they take on fat rapidly, and by the beginning of cold weather the
adults at least have laid in a large quantity of oily fat under their
skins, and even the inner body cavities have become loaded with fat.
I'p to August 24, when for the last time I crossed Swiftcurrent Pass,
marmots Avere still active and their loud whistles were heard across the
timberline slopes. A cold wave and snowstorm a few days later may
liave driven them into their winter dens, but in the short season of
tliese high iiltitudes they probably remain active as long as the warm
days and green food last. At best they must be buried under the
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XI.
Photo, by Mr. and Mrs. M. I. Berger
FIG. 1.— HOARY MARMOT NEAR THE HORSETRAILAT THE END OF LAKE ELLEN
WILSON JUST WEST OF GUNSIGHT PASS.
Photo, by Mr. and Mrs. M. I. Bergcr.
FIG. 2.— HOARY MARMOT NEAR THE TRAIL OVER GUNSIGHT PASS.
51140°— 18 5
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XII.
FIG. 1.— BUSHY-TAILED WOODRAT AT ENTRANCE TO ITS HOME IN A CAVE
NEAR SWIFTCURRENT FALLS.
FIG. 2.— THE SAME WOODRAT AND CAVE, SHOWING MORE OF THE BUILDING
MATERIAL PILED UP TO CLOSE THE ENTRANCE OF THE CAVE.
MAMMALS. 53
deep snow for seven or eight months, and as they do not lay up any
stores, the accumulated fat must carry them through this inactive
period. Dry grass and sedges are carried into-their burrows for nest
material, and we can imagine them comfortably curled up in their
Avarm beds deep under the cover of ground and I'ocks and snow ; but
except for a few burrows excavated l)y bears, I have ncAer been able
to explore their dens.
Brown Woodciiuck : Marmota mona.v pcfrensis HowelL — The
brown woodchuck, which is found a little farther north and west,
undoubtedly does occur in some of the lower areas of the park, but I
could not get any definite record of its occurrence. Park Ranger
Gibb thinks he has seen them within the park boundaries, but could
not give me a specific locality record. Apparently none of the other
rangers had seen or recognized the species.
Family MURID^: Mice, Rats, etc.
Gkay Bttsiiy-tailed Woodeat: Neotoma cinerea cinerea (Ord). — •
These bushy-tailed woodrats, pack rats, trade rats, or cliff rats, as
variously called, are not closely related to the common barn rat,
or wharf rat, which is justly held in such ill repute. They belong
to a different subfamily and are natives of America, while the -wharf
rat is an introduced pest of Asiatic origin. Far from having the dis-
gusting habits and mean appearance of the wharf rat. woodrats are
bright, attractive animals Avith big eyes, expressive faces, and
squirrel-like tails, and no animal could be more neat and exemplarjr.
They are common wherever rocks and cliffs or any suitable cover
provides them with homes throughout the lower levels of the park.
Their greatest abundance is in the Transition Zone borders of the
park, and usually they do not extend far into the- Canadian Zone
nor at all above it. They are not strictlj^ confined to any zone, how-
ever, as their selection of homes protects them from the. severity of
climate and enables them to adaj^t themselves to- a wide range of
environment. A broken cliff or deep talus on a steep' south slope
will sometimes carry them well up the mountain side without ex-
posure to the extreme cold of the higher zone, and occasionally their
signs are found almost up to timberline.
Woodrats are the original cliff dwellers, having made their' homes
among the rocks for so many ages that some of their deposits- have
become almost geological in formation. Their safest strongholds
are found in caves and crevices in the rocks and they have adapted
their building methods and manner of life to these cliff dwellings.
A typical family residence was found in the wall of the canyon
over Swiftcurrent Falls near Many Glacier Hotel. The overhanging
cliff shelters a small cave which opens back in narrow cracks and
54 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER. NATIONAL PAKK.
crevices into tlie limestone ledge. Here the rats have piled up bush-
els of sticks and chips, bark, and stones in the mouth of the cave,
closing- up many of the narrow places to keep out their enemies and
to -form' a front door barricade for the protection of their nests and
li\'ing rooms behind. The ledges and rock shelves are worn smooth
by their little feet which for ages have been running back and forth
from one opening to another or away to tlie>berry liuslies and patches
of weed seeds and pine cones beyond the edge- of the cliff. Their
runways and nest chambers are clean and neat, and they use some
out of the. way corner of the rocks in which to deposit- their little
black pellets. All food refuse is used for building material, and
their system of home economy is i:)ractical and efficient.
As they are strictly nocturnal, it is difficult to study their habits
or obtain photographs of them at 'home. To obviate this difficulty
as far as possible I -placed an inverted box by the side of their hou: e.
bent and lashed a twig into an oval loop and, placing the rounded end
under the edge of the- box and a bit of bread and bacon on the sharp
end of the stick mider the middle of the box, left it over night. In
the morning, as I expected, the loop had slipped out and the box
had fallen and underneath vras Madam "Woodrat sitting in a dark
corner awaiting further developments. I slipped a gunny sack under
and over the box, including its' occupant, and then, removing the box,
carried the Avoodrat to my back porch at the hotel and placed her in
a screen-covered box. She seemed greatly surprised, lint not much
alarmed, at all of this unusual ]irocedure, and when I placed a buncli
of green plants of various kinds in the box she at once seized upon
tliem and began to enjoy her nuich-delayed breakfast. She would
stop eating and fix her big shiny eyes upon me as I came near the
box, and with erect ears and long, vibrating mustaches she ma.de a
most animated and interesting picture. If I approached closelj- she
would sit straight up on her hind feet with her little fists rounded
in a most pugilistic attitude, and once as I tried to pass her a more
dainty plant to eat she jumped at my hand and gave me a vigorous
nip with her teeth. Again as I tried to put a bag over her to trans-
fer her to better quarters she caught me by the finger and bit a hole
through the end of it. I left the bag in her box while bandaging
my finger and when I returne<l she had crawled into tlie bottom of
the bag, just where I wanted her for a transfer to a glass jar, where
she could be more conveniently studied.
When alone in her box she would often make a thumping or drum-
ming sound, and by approaching carefully I could watch her raise
her hind feet and strike the soles down flat on the bottom of the box,
both together, with a sound such as one makes by striking the flat of
the finger on a table. These taps were repeated rapidly or slowly at
varying intervals of from se^'eral to a second to only one or two,
MAMMALS. 55
and were given in varying numbers that reminded me of a tele-
graphic code of signals. This was not due to her im]irisonment, as I
lia\'c ])re\iously heard and wat(hed woodrats make these signals in
camps and cabins and among the I'ocks. The oljjecl is evidently to
call or attract the attention of other individuals, to gi\'e some warn-
ing, or to convey such meaning from one to anuther as may be of serv-
ice to them. While not given in the dots and dashes of the Interna-
tional Morse Code, there is sufficient variation in the tapping to con-
\ey considerable expression of feeling if not of definite ideas. The
tail was never moved during the thumping and was usually coiled
along the side or lying fiuietl^y at rest.
Bread, toast, blueberry roll, crackers, and oatmeal in plenty were
put in the box with her. but she seemed not to care much for any of
them. When I put in a bunch of green plants she at once began
to eat the leaves of the fireweed, thimbleberry, Spircva, and other
plants, and the next morning had finished most of the leaves,
although she had scarcely touched the bread and grain. She was
active all night and kept me awake by gnawing her box, thumping
with her feet, and trying to find a way out of her well-screened cage.
One morning, putting her in a bag, I took her back to her house
in the cave, and after looping a soft, gTeen fishline over one foot lot
her sit on her old doorstep for a picture. She posed well in many
positions and with many expressions before I let her go back to her
children in the old and well built cliff dwelling that she may have
inherited from a thousand generations of ancestors. She could cer-
tainly never have been happy away from this familiar cliff above the
roar and spray of the falls, where every shelf, nook, and corner were
familiar to her, where the trails led around to a brush-covered rock
pile, where thimbleberries, serviceberries, chokecherries, and numer-
ous seeds and bulbs coidd be found to go with her fare of green
leaves and flowers, and where a power house not far away and
neighboring chalets and outbuildings afforded some choice scraps of
food and interesting ground for exploration.
In winter some of the more adventuresome individuals of this
woodrat colony visit the storehouses and even take up their abode
in them. A teamster who slept at night in the winter storehouse
at the end of the bridge told me that one morning he missed his
Avatcli and was sure a woodrat had taken it, because a piece of leather
showing the print of sharp teeth was left where the watch had been
Iving on the floor by the side of his bed. A careful search under
the floor of the building finally disclosed the watch with other accu-
mulations of building material where a woodrat had established
its residence. As woodrats are inveterate builders, always gather-
ing building material of a size convenient for carrying, the habit
of dropping whatever they are carrying and taking any other object
56
WILD ANIMALS OF C! LACIER NATIONAL PARK.
that seems better suited to their purpose lias given them tlie name
of " trade rat." Many stories are told of their exchanging sticks
for pijoes, jackknives, or other articles that they may prefer but
that do not always satisfy the other party to the trade. The same
collecting habit has also given them the name of " pack rat " and
perhaps also of woodrat, for a large part of their building material
is of sticks, chips, and bark, and many of their houses have a very
woody appearance.
To one familiar with their habits their presence in a cliff or rock
slide can usually be detected even at a distance by the white streaks
on the points and edges of the cliffs near the dens. These have some-
times caused geologists much perplexity, but they are merely the
age-long accumulations of
calcareous matter from the
urine of the woodrats. In
some places the cliffs are
heavily streaked with
white, as though the little
pinnacles were touched up
with a paint brush, and
often the white stony crust
is 2 or 3 millimeters thick.
While devoted to their
homes, some of the wood-
rats are evidently pos-
sessed with a desire to
wander, for occasionally
one will appear in some
camp or cabin far from
the rocks, and invariably
take up his abode. Even
a part of the time by
occupied by the wood-
M
fe
'^^m
1. fir'- A „
Fig. 8. — Woodrat in his nest of moss and lictiens
in a cabin at the mouth of Quartz Creek. lie
had been killed by some passer-by and left on
the floor, and "was put in his own nest and photo-
graphed in as natural a pose as possible, but
without the animated expression of life.
the ranger cabins, which are occupied
their rightful owners, are often also
rats. xVt the cabin on the west side of Waterton Lake the animals
had built nests and stick piles in the storage room but evidently had
been caught or driven away by the ranger. In another abandoned
cabin at the upper end of Waterton Lake they had two beautiful
nests of chewed-up tow from a gunny sack, one on the floor in the
corner and the other on an old bed. The door had been left open
about 4 inches, where it stuck tight, and in order to close it as much
as possible they had piled sticks and chips in the opening. On the
old bunk in the corner of the cabin a bushel or more of green leaves
and stems of plants had been piled up and had become dry and
green like good fresh hay. Among them I recognized thimbleberry,
mountain ash, meadow rue, Actaea^ and other familiar plants which
grew about the cabin. The open spaces between the double roofs of
MAMMALS.
57
the cabin also were stuffed full of similar weed-liay for winter use.
In many places the accumulation of winter hay is almost as extensive
as that provided by conies, and in one place near Granite Park I
found where the woodrats and conies had evidently been using the
same stack of hay through the winter. At Lake McDonald, where
there are many summer cabins, the woodrats often take possession of
those unoccupied during the winter and hold high revelry until the
owners return. In one cabin on the edge of the lake were bushels
of leaves and branches brought
in for winter food and a pile of
chips and sticks in the open
doorwajr between the two rooms
suggested an attempt to barri-
cade the smaller room, of which
the)' had taken possession. On a
high shelf in the corner a large
bowl-like nest had been built of
the soft brown fibers of cedar
bark, moss, and lichens, and well
lined with bits of cotton from
the inside of an old cotton com-
forter which had been left in the
cabin. The nest was as well
built as those of many birds, and
somewhat in the form of the
robin's nest, only a little larger
and of much softer material. It
was just large enough for one
good-sized occupant to lie curled
up below its rim, and I know of
no prettier animal picture than
that presented by the big ears
and bright eyes of a woodrat
peering over the top of one of
these nests.
In some cases poisoned grain or a few rat traps are left in a cabin
that is to be unoccupied duriug the winter to prevent any possible
mischief from the woodrats, but generally bedding, food, and such
things as they are likely to misappropriate are suspended froui the
ceiling by wires or kept in tin-lined cupboards or boxes. If a gunny
sack is left for them to build a nest of, and a box with a hole in it for
them to use as the foundation for their building operations, they
are not likely to do much damage.
They have a slight musky odor which seems to come from a large
gland in the skin of the belly, but when properly dressed and cooked
B I 8506
Fig, 9. — Woodrat nest, lined "with cotton
out of old quilt, on shelf in corner of
cabin at Lake McDonald. April 21, 1918.
58 WILD ANIMALS OP GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
the flesh is as delicate and delicious as that of quail or any other game
animal, and the woodsman who knows the habits of wild animals can
usually carrj^ a trap in his pocket and li\e comfortably on woodrats
and other small game, including ground s(iuirrels and pocket gophers.
I<\)i;F.s'r AViiiTE-FOOTED ]M()usp: : Pcromi/scits manicndatus artcmisim
(Rhoads). — These little white-footed or woods mice may be known
by their large thin ears, long slender tails, pure white feet and
lowerparts, and buffy-gray or bluish-gray upperparts. While tiny
animals themselves, they are slightly larger than the Plains species
(P. m. osf/oodi), and have relatively larger ears and longer tails. An
adult female from McDermott Lake measured, in millimeters : Total
length, l'.)l; tail, 95; hind foot, 22.
These are probably the most abundant mammals of Glacier Park,
although they are rarely seen and their presence is often unknown.
They occupy the whole timbered area, of the park from the valley
bottoms up to timberline and in some cases even above, among the
rocks of the open slopes. Few animals have the ability to adapt
themselves to a wider range of climate and general environment.
Through the woods they live in hollow trees or logs, among the
broken rocks at the base of cliil's, in the little caves and caverns of
the cliifs, or in underground burrows which thej' make for them-
selves or appropriate from other animals. An abandoned pocket-
gopher burrow w'ill often provide homes for a dozen of them, while
\'acant dons of ground squirrels, chipmunks, or other mice are ap-
propriated, and even camjjs, cabins, chalets, and hotels are taken
])ossession of in a way that is sometimes only anuising, but at others
annoying. All they ask is a safe and well-sheltered corner or cavity
for their nest and family, soft material from which to make their
nests, and plenty of almost any kind of food. In helping themselves
to these necessities they sometimes infringe u])on the property rights
of others and fall into more or less disfavor. Generally, however,
their presence in the park is not seriously detrimental and they fur-
nish much interest and anmsement, especially in buildings to which
they come at night to scamper about the floors in search of stray
crumbs and scattered bits of food.
They are strictly nocturnal in habits and do not become active
until about the time the lights are turned on. Artificial light seems
not to trouble them, however, and they often go scampering through
camp and occasionally nuiy be seen playing about the corners of the
main hotel corridors or rimning from one place of concealment to
another over the flooi's, much to the amusement of the guests, and
especially of the children. I caught a number of them in m}^ hands
and kept some in captivity for several days to study their habits
more closely. Generally they were nervous and timid when cap-
MAMMAI.B. 59
tured, but tli(\y soon became quiet and gentle. They would some-
times try to nip any fingers, but wlieu ])roper care was tak'en they
would let nio tal<e them in my hands, and would m;dve little effort
to escape.
They are prolific Ijrceders, and tlie four to eight young in a, litter
are brought forth in the warm soft nests in dry and secluded cavities
underground, among rocks, hollow trees or logs, in boxes or crevices,
or in corners of buildings. They quickly mature and are soon run-
ning about in the blue-gi'ay coats which are worn through most of the
fii'st year. Several litters are raised each season, and the increase
is so rapid that any safe retreat like a vacant building is soon over-
run hy them. Outdoors the little owls, weasels, coyotes, and foxes
])ick them up so rapidly that their abundance is well checked, and
when (he breeding season is over their numbers steadily decrease
imtil the next spring.
They do not hibernate or become noticeably fat, but during the
autumn they store np considerable quantities of seeds, grain, and
nutlets for winter use. Buried under the deep snows of winter
they live safely and in comparative comfort and luxury next to the
ground in the tunnels which they make under the snow. They
also come to the surface and run over the soft snow, and lines of
delicate tracks may be traced in winter from one log to another, from
tree to tree, or from roclv pile to cliff, and thus some clue to their
winter habits is obtained. They climb trees readily and often oc-
cupy hollow trunks or even old woodpecker holes in stumps and trees.
Mountain Lemming Mouse: Plienafomys orophUiis ^lerriam. —
These rare little lemming mice somewhat resemble tfie meadow mice,
but differ radically from them in having molar teeth with well-
developed, roots and different t,ype of enamel pattern. In external
characters they may be distinguished by their small size, light gray
color, and by the tail, wdiich is slender and does not noticeably taper.
An adult male collected on the Swiftcurrent Ri'i'er below McDermott
Lake measured, in millimeters: Total length, 122; tail, 30; hind foot,
18. Their measurements serve to distinguish them from almost any
of the other little rodents except the red-backed mouse, from wdiich
they differ strikingly in color.
In the spring of 1895 Howell and I collected a dozen specimens
of these little mice at St. Mary Lake, one at Midvale, and one at
Summit; in August, 1917, T caught one in the open valley just
below McDermott Lake; and in April, 1918, I found one dead in the
trail near Kintla Lake. These records would indicate that lemming-
mice are unusually common in the Glacier Park region, and may
be found anywdiere along the lower slopes of the park or in the
open Hudsonian Zone area near timberline. Most of the specimens
60 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
taken wore from lower altitudes, but usually the zonal range of the
species is considered more Hudsonian than Canadian. They are
mountain dwellers of wide distribution over the Eocky Mountain
region from northern New Mexico to British Columbia, but over
much of this area they are so scattered and so rarely found that
they are generally considered rare.
In habits as well as appearance they are obscure and inconspicuous.
They live in burrows in the grassy parks and make tiny runways
under the fallen gray grass from one burrow to another and out
to' their feeding grounds, but so well concealed are both their bur-
rows and their runwaj's that the animals would rarely be seen, even
if they were not largely nocturnal. The field collector with a line
of mouse traps in all kinds of situations occasionally gets one by
accident and disco^'ers where they are living, and then by continued
trapping in the vicinity can usuallj^ secure other specimens. In
the grassy openings along the south side of St. Mary Lake they
were found in unusual numbers. By parting the old fallen grass
their runways and burrows could be detected over the surface of
the ground, and a little clue to their habits was obtained from the
specimens collected, the nature of their homes and the varieties of
plants which they had cut for food. The fragments of grass and
other green plants were found along the runways and in places had
Ijeen drawn into the burrows to be eaten at leisure. The stomachs
of the mice collected contained mainly green vegetation. The bur-
rows and runways were more or less grouped, indicating colonies
or family residences. The nests and homes appear to be entirely
underground, and the females .taken for specimens in May and June
usually contained four to six embryos. Later in the season young
of all ages are found, and it is probable that several litters are
raised during the summer.
Eed-backed Mouse : Evofo'nvys gapperi galei Merriam. — These little
furry, short-tailed, short-eared, red-backed mice may always be rec-
ognized by their bright hazel or chestnut-brown backs and buffy gray
sides and lowerparts. They live mainly in the woods and are com-
mon throughout the timbered area of the park. Specimens have been
collected at St. Mary Lake, McDermott Lake, Waterton Lake valley,
Piegan Pass, Summit Station, and Java. They are generally found un-
der old logs in the woods, but also where there is an_v protecting cover —
as creek banks, loose rocks, brush, or dense growth of vegetation.
They burrow in the melloAV ground or run in natural cavities where
they have their nests and homes and from which they forage out
over their feeding grounds. In places where they are common little
runways are found, but in general the animals are more on the open
ground where they scamper from place to place without the neces-
fc
MAMMALS. 61
sity of roads. They clamber o^er logs and even climb trees, but
generally keep under cover as nnicli as possible to avoid their enemies.
While mainly nocturnal they are often caught in traps in the woods
during the daj'time and especially toward evening, when they seem
to be most active. Their food consists chiefly of green grass and a
great varietj^ of small plants and seeds. Their stomachs usually con-
tain a combination of green-plant tissue and the white starchy part
of seeds, but they are always eager for rolled oats or any kind of
grain that is offered as trap bait. They seem, however, not to be
inquisitive and rarely get into camp supplies or do any mischief
except where provisions are left on the grovuid vmprotected. In fact,
their presence is rarely discovered by the camper or even by the ex-
perienced woodsman and fur trapper Avho spend much time in their
habitat. A few traps, set in proper locations, will soon reveal the
presence of the mice, and a tin can at the bottom of a hole in the
ground will often be found occupied by some that have tumbled in
during the night.
Four to six embryos in females taken for specimens indicate
the size of their families ; but little is known of their actual breeding
habits other than Avhat is learned from an occasional nest of hairless
young found under an old log, board, or other protecting cover.
Much remains to be learned of the habits of such obscure small mam-
mals by those who have time and patience to make careful studies of
them on their home grounds.
Laege-footed INIeadow ISIguse : Microtus rlchanlsoni macropus
(Merriam). — The largest of all the meadow mice, often measuring 8
to 10 inches in total length, are common along the streams and in the
meadows and wet places throughout the Canadian and Hudsonian
Zones of the park. They are semiaquatic in habits and are rarely
found far from water. In many places their large trails and runways
extend through the shallow water of the marshes or lead into the
edges of small streams or ponds and reappear on the ojoposite sides.
Often along the creek banks one will be seen to jump into the water
and swim across the stream deep below the surface. Their dense fur
and large hind feet are w'ell adapted to a partially aquatic life, e\en
in the cold streams up to the snow banks. Their burrows often
honeycomb the creek banks, and their summer nests, in which the
young are raised, are found in cavities to which these burrows lead.
In winter some of their big grassy nests are placed on the ground
under the deep cover of soft snow, and as the snow disappears in
spring their runways show a network of tunnels over the surface.
Grass and sedges form the principal part of their food in both
winter and summer. In winter they are gathered from the surface
of the ground under snow, and in summer the tender shoots are cut
(j2 wtt.d animals of glacier national paek.
along the edges of the streams and along the ti'ails in the marshes.
In places the surface of little pools will be found strewn with grass
blades, where the mice have been eating their meals on the mai'gins
in exactly the manner of muskrats. Green vegetation constitutes
13ractical]y their entire food for the whole year, and seems always
to be easily ol^tained. The mice do not become fat or show any signs
of hibernation, and it is probable that in winter their life is just as
comfortable as in summer and fraught with less clangers.
RocKT Mountain Meadow Mot^se : Microfus mordax mo-rdax (Mer-
riam). — Specimens of these middle-sized, long-tailed meadow mice
have been taken at St. Mary Lake, McDermott Lake, Belly River,
Summit Station, Java, Belton, and Indian Creek. They are the most
abundant and generally distributed meadow mice of the park, from
the lowest levels to timljerline. Generally they are most abundant
along the banks of streams, in meadows, and about springs, but often
they are found on the open mountain-sides under grassy cover or the
drooping leaves of bear grass. Their medium-sized burrows and run-
ways are easily found by examining the surface of the ground in
almost any meadow or grassy situation, and specimens are readily
secured by setting out-of -sight mouse traps across the runwaj^s and
baiting them with a little rolled oats. They are less aquatic and less
adapted to life in the water than the big-footed meadow mice, but are
good swimmers and do not hesitate to jump into a creek or river and
swim across- if frightened or if they wish to visit the other shore.
Their thick gray fur is amjtle protection against both wet and cold,
and they often live and seek their food in places that are damp and
chilly.
Their food consists mainly of green vegetation, of which grass
stems and seeds form the greater part. Along their runways little
heaps of grass stems cut into lengths of 1 or 2 inches may be found
where the mice have brought down the seeds and blades within reach
by simply cutting the stems in sections, and drawing them down each
time until the tops were obtained. The contents of their stomachs
usually show nothing but the finely pulverized tissue of green vege-
tation. Seeds or grains, however, are very acceptable and readily
taken when offered as tra}) bait. The mice never come into houses
and camps, so that their presence in the park can do no harm other
llian to the grass which they consume in the meadows.
The four to six young are born in warm, soft grassy nests in the
summer burrows and apparently several litters are raised during a
season. Thej' have need to multiply rapidly as their enemies are
numerous. Plawks and owls, ravens and jays, and weasels, foxes,
cats, and coyotes, are always snapping them up as they appear on the
surface of the ground. In winter, under the cover of deep snow, they
are far safer. When the first soft snows fall they plow little tunnels
MAMMALS. 63
over tlie surface of the ground, and these become hardened and
throughout the winter are avenues of travel and food supply as long
as the snow lasts. Many winter nests are built on the surface of the
ground and occupied until the snow (lisapi)ears, when the occupants
are again foi'ced to tlieii' underground dwellings for j^rotection. Tlio
i'lU'ry coats of these mice become dense and a beautiful light gra^y
ihiring the winter, but the animals do not become fat or show any
signs of hibernation. In summer the heavy winter coats are changed
for a much thinner and harsher coat of a darker gray color that
blends well with the shadows of the half-concealed runways.
Dkujimoxd Meadow Mouse: Microtus dnimmond't (Audubon and
Ijachman). — These little dark brownish-gra}' meadow mice with mod-
erately short tapering tails are common in the ope-n country about
.St. Mary Lake, along Swiftcurrent Creek, between Sherburne and
jNIcDermott Lakes, at Summit, and on the Big Prairie in the North
Fork of the Flathead A'allej', where specimens have been taken,
but they undouljtedly have a much more general range- o\'er the
park in suitable localities. The}' live in meadows and other grassy
places generally, but are sometimes found in wet marshes- and
along the margins of streams and lakes. They are not usually found
in the timber, except as they follow meadows or open strips of coun-
try. In general habits they are more like the eastern meadow mouse,
to which they are related, and their runwaj's and burrows may gen-
erally be found under the tall grass and dense vegetation of the more,
fertile areas. Any naturalist should be able to go to a favorable loolc-
ing meadow or grassy slope and by parting the fallen grass, find the
little roadways and burrows of these mice, but these are rarely seen
by the person without the naturalist's training, unless by the farmer
in gathering his hay or grain. Out on the prairies, the mice (|uickly
gather under the haycocks or the shocks of grain, and when these
are removed to the stack they are seen scampering in all directions.
While with other rodents they help to lay a heavy ti'ibnte on th ■
agricultural products of much of the countrj', here in the park the}'
are practically harmless and are too obscure and unnoticed to form
even an interesting feature of the animal life.
Rocky Mountain Muskkat: Fiber zibethieus osoyoo><ensis Lord. —
A few muskrats are found in most of the lakes and along the cjuieter
streams of Glacier Park, but nowdiere have I found them so numerous
as they are out on the Plains and in the low country. A few- tracks
were seen around the edges of McDermott and Josephine Lakes and
along the river above Upper Waterton Lake, and in 1895 I trapped a
specimen in a beaver pond near Summit Station. Don Stevenson re-
ports a. family of 11 cream-colored albinos, which he once trapped in
Swiftcurrent Lake. Their signs were seen along the Swiftcurrent
64 WILD- ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PAB.K.
Creek at Sherburne Lake and above, and a muskrat was seen swim-
ming in a beaver pond on Appekunny Creek. Apparently they are
not sufficiently numerous to form an important part of the fur catch
of the region, but there are enough for tourists occasionally to get
a sight of one SAvimming in a lake or stream or quietly sitting up
in a brown furry ball on a log or stone at the edge of the water,
munching his breakfast or supper. In the marsh and slough coun-
try of the Plains muskrats build numerous houses of mud, roots, and
plant stems, but here in the park they live mainly in the banks of
streams and lakes. Their burrows enter from below the surface of
the water and lead back to cavities in the banks a little above the
water level, but usually without any openings to the surface of the
ground. In these well-protected bank dens they spend the winter
in comparative comfort, and in summer raise their families of young
until they, too, are old enough to dive through the waterway and
swim out into the light of clay on the surface of the lake. The usual
number of young produced at a time seems to be from four to eight.
An old female taken for a specimen in a beaver pond near Summit
Station on June 18, 1895, contained 13 large embryos, evidently an
unusual number for one litter. She had the usual number of 8 mam-
mae. She was a very large individual, weighing 3 pounds, and
evidently in the prime of life. The- young when first born are naked
and helpless, but develop rapidly and are soon well furred little
muskrats, paddling about in the water and diving with great skill.
Muskrats furnish one of the cheaper furs, not from a lack of
beauty or softness, but because the animals are so abundant and
widely distributed that vast numbers are trapped each year. Com-
pared with many of the more expensive skins they are equally at-
tractive and give better service, warmth, and wear.
Family CASTORID^: Beavers.
Beaver: Castor canademis canadensis Kuhl. — Beavers are irregu-
larly distributed over the park, but are fairly common in some sec-
tions. Their houses, dams, and ponds are conspicuous along side-
streams in the Swiftcurrent Valley above Sherburne Lake, and old
houses and dams could be seen far out into the shallow edge of the
lake that was being flooded by the reclamation project in 1917.
There were also beaver cuttings around the edges of McDermott,
Josephine, Grinnell, Swiftcurrent, TTpper St. Mary, Waterton,
Kintla, and McDonald Lakes, and many of the streams above the
lakes in the park. In Gunsight Lake, which lies near timberline,
beaver cuttings were noticed along the shore at both ends, and several
beavers were watched as they gathered their food and ate it on the
beach or on low rocks out in the water. A few tracks and cuttino-s
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XIII.
FIG. 1.— BEAVER HOUSE ON THE BANK OF BELLY RIVER NEAR PARK LINE. THE
RIVER IS DEEP AND NO DAM IS NEEDED.
FIG. 2.— A BEAVER OUT ON THE SNOV^ AT THE EDGE OF HIS POND IN THE
NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK.
MAMMALS. 65
were found iilong the edges cjf Elizabeth, Crossley, and (Jlenn Lakes
in the Belly River valley, and the banks of Bell}' Ei\'er were in many
places, where beavers were inhabiting tlie bank dens, conspicuously
marked near the deep water by large bea\er houses or by aspens that
had been freshly cut and were to be dragged into the river for food
or building material. Many of the small side streams along this
valley had been dammed up by the animals for ponds as good
building sites for their houses.
On Belly Eiver near the park line a huge old beaver came out one
evening near our camp and worked for a half hour before the dark-
ness closed in and hid him from view. Pie would go to the shore
and cut willow branches and carry them to some shallow beach
where he could sit in the water and trim the leaves and bark from
the branches for his supper. He would then swim to another place,
often with loud splashes of his tail, and gather more willows. Again
lie would come out on the grassy bank and graze like a cow for some
time in the meadow, and in many places I found where the grass had
been thus eaten down all along the shores until it was as closely
cropped as if by horses or cattle. On a steep bank high above the
river this beaver had been cutting aspen trees the previous night and
dragging the logs down the steep slope into deep water where they
could be floated around the bend to his house or simk to the bottom
of the river for winter food. No dam crossed the river at this point,
but the Avater was deep and permanent, and a large beaver house had
been built on the bank. The house was not surrounded by water as
those in beaver ponds usually are, but the burrows entered from
deep under the bank and came wp to the nest cavity inside. The
thick walls of the house, built of sticks laid at all angles and firmly
plastered with mud, afforded ample protection from all enemies
except man, and even man armed with ax and spade has hard work
to dig through such Avails. Dui'ing the winter when heavy ice covers
the Avater and the beaver houses are frozen solid the animals are
especially safe and comfortable and enjoy the even temperature to
Avhich thej' are adapted. They have usually stored up ample food
for the Avintcr's supply in the bark of trees CTit and sunk to the
bottom of the jDonds, but the myriads of tender roots Avhich penetrate
the banks of streams and are ahvays accessible from under Avater
apparently form a large part of their food in Avinter as Avell as in
summer.
As their destruction of timber for building and food pur]wses is
limited almost entirely to small cottonwoods, aspens, and Avillows of
no particular value, the claim that they are doing damage to the
forest is generally Avithout foundation, while their dams and ponds
are often a great benefit to the country in storing water, providing
51140°— IS 6
66
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
fish-breeding ponds, and affording one of the interesting features of
animal life in the park.
While it is possible even now for the tourist to find beavers that
can be observed at work, their study would be far more interesting
with ten times greater numbers of the animals, and the country would
be generally benefited by the surplus that would stock surrounding
areas.
The Ijeautiful dense furry coats of the beavers, which adapt tliem
to their peculiar mode of life, have put a price on their backs that
has almost jDroved their destruction. In spite of well-framed laws
imposing severe penalties for trapijing or killing the animals, the
temptation for trappers to snealt in and get as many skins as possible
is often too great to be resisted. In spite of e\ery precaution many
Fig. 10. — Cottonwood tree, 46 inches across stump, cut down by beavers near mouth
of Camas Creek. Photographed April 14, 1918, several years after it bad fallen.
beavers are trapped each year and their numbers are kept doAvn to a
very slight increase, if not to a dead level of meager existence.
Family ERETHIZONTIDiE: Porcupines.
Yellow - HAIRED Porcupine: Eretliizon epi.vanfhy/iii cpixanfhmn
Brandt. — Porcupines are suiliciently common in the park to be
often seen by the Ansiting tourists. At Granite Park one usually
came around the chal(>t every day and did not seem to mind beinff
shut up occasionally in the woodshed where he could be released
after the tourists had arrived over the pass at noon and be watched
by a large number of people as he shuffled down the trail and over
the big snow bank to the rocks beyond. Several years ago while this
MAMMALS. 67
chalet was being built porcupines were numerous and troublesome
about the construction camp. Their principal mischief consisted in
cutting the tent ropes at night so that the tents would often fall over
before morning. The^y also did some damage to the camp provisions,
being esjoecially keen in their search for bacon and salt pork. The
cook finally vowed vengeance- on all porcupines and, armed with a
stout club-, is said to have slain 150 of them at night about the camp
before their raids ceased to be troublesome. This was evidently at
the crest of their wave of abundance, as it is well known that they
increase slowly until in many jilaces they become numerous and then
decrease for a term of years until they are again scarce.
During the summer of 1917 porcupines were moderately common
throughout the park and were occasionally seen along the trails or
about the camps and chalets. Their little flat-footed, oval, rough-
soled, toed-in tracks are often seen in the dust along the trails which
they sometimes follow for miles at night, and occasionally one of the
animals is overtaken as it shuffles slowly along on its short legs. M. I.
Berger Avas fortunate enough to meet one wlien the light was strong
enough for a good photograph. Their presence is more often noticed,
however, by the patches of raw wood on the pine trees from which
they have gnawed the bark for food, and one needs onlj' to ride
through the forest to learn how common porcupines are in any section,
or examine the scars to tell in what j^ear they were most numerous.
In almost every camp and abandoned cabin in the park one
may see where the animals have gnawed the floors or doors, boxes,
tables, or any wood that has becomei impregnated with salt or
grease or a flavor of camp food. Boxes in which camp supplies have
been, kept are usually almost devoured ; sometimes only a few boards
are left that have not been chewed up by the porcupines. The boards
of an old floor are sometimes gnawed through, and the table if left
in a greasy and soiled condition is likely to be entirely eaten up.
JMarks of the big chisel-like incisors of porcupines show on the boards
and in wood that has been gnawed, and their large oval sawdust pel-
lets are generally found scattered around the floor of an old camp.
At some of the camps the quills and bones of animals -previously
killed by campers are found, but unless the animals are so numerous
as to be really troublesome they are usually not disturbed.
At the lower end of Glenn Lake I came across a camping party
from the farming country below, spending a week in the beautiful
valley, and the man finding that I was interested in the animal life,
showed me a very large porcupine which he had that morning killed
at camp. It proved to be a handsome old male with a rich coat of
long yellow hairs and a dense armor of quills bedded in the black
fur underneath. Several men who lifted it estimated its weight at
68 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PAKK.
40 to 50 pounds, and I think they were not far from correct. My
own estimate was 35 pounds as the lowest possible limit, but we had
no scales or am' convenient means of accurate determination of the
weight. It was unusually large, however, and showed some intei-est-
ing features. Although a male the four abdominal mammse were
almost as conspicuous and well developed as in the females and were
arranged as usiuil in a large quadrangle in the middle of a very large
abdomen. The man apologized for killing the porcupine, which he
had driven awa^- from the camp several times on two successive
evenings, but it insisted on returning and had climbed into his wagon
and eaten pieces oiit of his harness, bridles, and halters until he was
afraid there would be no harness with which to return to the ranch.
To protect his pro])erty he had finally taken an ax and smashed the
skull of INIr. Porcupine so badly that there was not enough left to
make a good specimen.
Fortunately dogs are not allowed in the park, so the principal
objection to porcupines, the unpleasant misunderstanding between
rodents and canines, is avoided. Apparently the wild carnivores that
have had a longer acquaintance with tlieni have a better understand-
ing of the nature of their defense and do not often get into trouble.
The erroneous inq:)ression that porcupines can throw their quills
is surprisingly connnon among those unacquainted with animals,
and often the first question asked is how far can they throw their
quills and make them stick. The tradition is perhaps an important
protection for the uninitiated, for the porcupine is not a safe animal
to play with unless the mode of defense is understood. The power-
ful muscular tail is heavily armed above and on the sides with quills
set at all angles, and an upward or sidewise blow from this tail will
drive the quills deeply through clothing or shoe leather with very
painful residts. The- porcuinne's method of defense is to keep its
back to tJie enemy, with quills erect all over the body and with quick,
powerful strokes of the tail to inflict as much injury as possible.
AVith its short legs an effort to escape is useless and rarely attempted.
When aj^proached at close quarters porcupines will often climb a tree
if one is convenient and take refuge among its branches or sit on the
side of the trunk, resting wood])eckerlike on the stiff', bristly coat of
the under surface of the tail, which is held pressed against the bark.
In sununer the principal food of the porcupines is green vegeta-
tion, of which they eat practically everything that comes their way,
until their enormous stomachs are filled. In winter their principal
food is the inner bark of pine trees. Occasionally the Douglas and
Engelmann spruces also are gnawed, but their favorite food trees
seem to l)e the lodgepole, limber, and white-barked pines. Laro-e
patches of bark are gnawed from these trees, sometimes at the sur-
face of the snow anywhere from 1 to 6 feet from the ground or on
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XIV.
Ptiuto. liy Mr. and mi^. ivi. i. Berger.
FIG. 1.— YELLOW-HAIRED PORCUPINE RETREATING DOWN A FOREST TRAIL
IN GLACIER PARK.
Photo, by Mr. and Mrs. M. I. Berger,
FIG. 2.— A PORCUPINE MET ON THE TRAIL NEAR SUN CAMP, PAUSING TO MAKE
SURE IF RETREAT IS NECESSARY.
MAMMALS. 69
the sides of the trunk up among the branches where some limb has
served as a rest wliile tlie animals were getting their breakfasts of
bark, or even on the branchless trunk of a tree where while feeding
they have rested in perfect comfort on the bristles of their tails.
Usually a patch of bark the size of a hat seems to have served as a
meal, but in manj' cases several meals have been made from the same
part of the tree and occasionally the bark is removed clear around
the trunk in a broad band that completely girdles and kills it. In
other cases some of the branches are thus peeled and killed or the
top of the tree may be girdled and the future shape of the tree en-
tirely changed. When abundant, porcupines often do considerable
damage to the forest, but in ordinary numbers this injury is not very
serious. When they become very numerous they should undoubtedlj'
be destroyed, but in their present abundance they merely add a fea-
ture of interest for many of those visiting the park.
The theory that porcupines should never be killed, as they might
furnish food to some one who was lost in the woods, has very little
value as a practical precaution. Generally an}'one who will get lost
in the woods would not know enough to kill and skin and cook a
porcupine if the opportunity were otfered, and it might be several
days before one could be found. Porcujnnes are fairly good eating,
however, and the Indian method of cooking them is very simple
and could be adopted by anyone capable of wielding a club and build-
ing a fire. Without any joreparation whatever the porcupines should
be buried in coals, or placed on a fire and more fire built on top of
them, and left to roast for 20 minutes or a half hour. When prop-
erly cooked the}' should be drawn from the fire and the shell of
burned quills and skin broken oil the ovitside, when the meat will be
found white and tender and well cooked imderneath. One would not
have to be star\-ing to enjoy such a feast, but the meat is apt to have
a flavor of the pine bark, and while thoroughly wholesome and nu-
tritious the flesh of an old porcupine is not an epicurean dish.
Family ZAPODID^E: Jumping Mice.
EoCKY Mountain Jumping Mouse: Zapu~s princeps princeps
Allen. — Jumping mice are graceful, slender little animals with very
long tails and long hind legs and feet. They are kangaroolike in build
and form, with tiny hands that are rarely used for aid in traveling.
Their slender tails are much longer than the head and body, and their
rich buffy sides, dark bulfy gray backs, white bellies, and pointed ears
combine to make an animal of unusual beauty. They are common in
the park region and often are the principal animals caught in a line
of mouse traps. They live mainly in the meadows and open grassy
slopes, where there is ample cover of grass, plants, and bushes for
70
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
their protection. They do not make runways, and their presence is
rarely detected unk>ss tliey are occasionally seen when disturbed in
the daytime bounding awa}- from one's feet in long leaps through
the grass. Their summer nests are usually placed on the surface of
the ground and are well concealed by sheltering vegetation. These
are neat little balls of grass with a hole in one and sometimes in two
sides to serve as doorways. As one steps near a nest the mouse
usually bounds out and gives two or three long leaps and then stojosto
wait for further developments. Hj noting the place where it stops
and by creei)ing up cautiously one can almost invariabh' catch the
mouse by clapping the hand down quickly over it. When thus ca])-
tured it does not seem much alarmed, and when held gently in the
hands for a little time becomes quiet and may be examined at leisure.
The mice rarely oft'er to bite and seem nnich more gentle in disposi-
tion than most species. If suspended l)y the i\p of the tail one will
almost invariably curl up
until it can reach the base
of the tail with its hand'>
and then, like a sailor
climbing a vope, come
hand over hand up the tail
to the fingers holding it.
If shaken down it will
repeat the ojoeration again
and again, much to the
amusement of the onlook-
ers and with no harm to
the ropelike tail.
The food of jumping
mice consists mainly of
seeds of grasses and other small plants. To obtain the seed-laden
heads of tall grasses they reach up and cut off the stem and draw it
down to the ground; then, repeating the operation, they cut off sec-
tions and draw the stem down until the seeds are brought within
reach. These are eaten and other stems are cut and drawn down in
the same manner until a good square meal is obtained. The sections
of grass stems thus cut are usually three or four inches long and can
iJways be recognized as the M'ork of this mouse, in distinction from
those of the other nuce with shorter legs that can not reach so high
and consequently cut their grass stems into shorter sections. Little
lieaps of these long grass sections scattered through the meadows will
often indicate the presence and abundance of the species and give the
naturalist a clue to i)laces where his traps will yield specimens.
The four to eight young are l)orn in the grass nests, and by early
autumn have become almost full grown and are laying in a supply of
Photo, by C. Birdseye. Bi296l
Fir;. 11. — Jumping mouse, from photocTaph of a
captive individual at Floronce, Mont.
MAMMALS.
71
fat for winter. Unlike most of our native mice tliey do not lay up
stores of food, but become excessively fat, and with the first cold
weather of autumn enter a long period of hibernation. Soft, warm
winter nests are constructed in little cavities well under ground, and
in these the mice curl up for their long winter sleep. Usually they
are not found abroad after the first killing frost in September and
are not again seen until the snow has disaiDpeared in April or May.
They are among the most harmless and attractive of the great variety
of little animals to which the odious name of mouse has been unjustly
given. They do not belong to the same family as any of the other
so-called mice or small rodents of the region, and in soRie respects
show a closer relationship to porcupines than to any other animal of
this country.
Family GEOMYID^: Pocket Gophers.
Saskatchewan Pocket Gopher: Thomomys taJpoides talpoides
(Richardson). — These plumbeous-gray pocket gophers belong to the
Plains country and may generally be distinguished from the rusty
brown form inhabiting the mountains by color, slightly larger size,
and in the females by the
six pairs of mammae in-
stead of four.
Specimens have been
taken in the Swiftcurrent
Valley between the Sher-
burne and McDermott
Lakes and on the Belly
Eiver at the ranger sta-
tion. In both these val-
lej's they are abundant in
the open prairie - grass
areas, but apparently they
do not go into the tim-
bered or mountainous part
of the park. Over the
plains to the eastward they have a wide range through western Mon-
tana and Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta. Among the prairie
grasses their little mounds of fresh black earth are conspicuous at
intervals along the lines of their underground tunnels, but the
animals are rarely if ever seen even by the inhabitants of the country.
Practically their whole lives are spent underground, except when for
a few minutes an opening is made to the surface, the loose earth
pushed out, and a few plants quickly cut and stuffed into the capa-
cious and fur-lined cheek pouches to be carried back into the burrows
Photo, by N. H. Kent. m49S
Fig. 12. — A pocket gopher of the genus Tlwmomys,
phoiogfaphed ffom a captive intlividual.
72 WILD AXIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PAEK.
and, after the doorway Ikih been securely packed full of earth, eaten
at leisure.
Long' front claws' and powerful muscles jieculiarly fit them for
digging- and tunneling underground, and their burrows are extended
day after da,y through the rich soil, a fcAv inches to a foot below the
surface, where the endless variety of roots and bulbs and under-
ground vegetation encountered furnishes them ample food through-
out the year. There is plenty of moisture in their food so that
Avater is not necessary, and they rarely leave the burrows. Occa-
sionally in spring males do leave in search of mates, but generally
there is sufficient underground communication to make even this
unnecessary.
During most of the year there is Init one pocket goplier to a set of
liurrows, and while their lives may seem like solitary confinement at
hard labor, these rodents are evidently as happy and contented as
other and more sociable animals. Their houses are comfortable and
without sudden changes of temi)erature. They have clean, sweet-
smelling, fresh earth walls, which are always being extended into
new ground as the old burrows are abandoned. Eoomy chambers are
built along the tunnels, and the four to six young are brought forth
and cared for in dry nest-chambers, while food is stored in other
chambers excavated for the purpose. Their small eyes and ears are
of minor importance in the dark underground galleries, but the sensi-
tive nose and tip of tail guide them in their shuttlelike motions back-
wai'd and forward through the tuimels, and apparently they travel
with equal facility in cither direction. As soon as the young are old
enough to make their own burrows and get their own food they strike
off in new galleries, and soon each is humched on its independent
career. When little more than half grown they usually leave their
mother's burrow and may not see another of their kind until the fol-
lowing summer when the sex imjiulse urges them to search for mates.
They are sturdy fighters, and with large chisel-like incisors and
powerful muscles they defend their homes against most enemies of
their own size, except the weasel and the goidier snake, which quickly
disi^atch them when once an entrance is gained to their tunnels.
Hawks, owls, bobcats, foxes, and coyotes snap them up occasionally
when they are throwing t)ut earth from their burrows, but their
main protection is in keeping well out of sight and thoroughly
barricaded under ground.
On farms they do a great deal of mischief in destroying crops.
They are fond of potatoes, turnips, carrots, beets, onions, and prac-
tically all underground ci'ops, and they cut the roots from fruit
trees and berry bushes, cut the growing grain and draw it into
theii- burrows to be eaten, and with their mounds of earth cover
u]-> (he young grain, clover, and grass. While practically harm-
MAMMALS. 73
less on the open range, they are naturally considered undesirable
tenants in cultivated land, and their destruction is often necessary
to successful agriculture. Fortunately, they are easily trapped and
poisoned and can be eliminated from the farming areas at slight
expense of time and trouble.
Pocket-gopher flesh is as good as that of rabbit or squirrel, and
as the animals are always healthj' and of exemplary food habits
there is every reason for utilizing them as food. A camp cook who
is also a good trapjoer can in many localities supply his party with
an occasional feast of pocket-gopher stew at any time during the
summer without violating the game laws.
Bkown Pocket Gopher: Thomomys fusciifi fuseus Merriam. — ■
These small buffy brown pocket gophers are easily distinguished
from the larger, grayer species of the Plains, and in adult females
the mammae are arranged in two posterior and two anterior pairs.
They are the only pocket gophers inhabiting the higher parts of
the park, where their range is hy no means continuous or general.
Specimens were collected on Big Prairie, in the North Fork of the
Flathead Valley, in the garden back of Glacier Park Hotel, at Sum-
mit Station, and near the lower end of St. Mary Lake ; and charac-
teristic mounds were seen in other places in the park. In 1895 the
mounds were found near tiniberline south of Eed Eagle Lake, and
in 1917 on the pass between Chief ^fountain and Galjle Mountain
in the open Hudsonian Zone. As these pocket gophers do not inhabit
the timbered areas, their range in this region is much more restricted
than in the more ojjen counti-y to the south and west. Little open
parks and dry meadows are their favorite haunts wherever they can
find an abimdance of mellow soil in which to bin-row and A'cgetation
for food. Their hills and burrows are noticeably smaller than those
of the larger species of the Plains, but otherwise- their habits are
essentially the same. The mounds often extend in irregular lines for
long distances over the ground, and each shows some indication of the
length of time that has elapsed since it was brought to- the surface.
Usually a few are of fresh loose black soil that has not been rained on,
some are dotted over with a sprinkle of drops, and others washed
smooth and rounded by one or more heavy rains, while those of the
early springtime are packed and hard, and grass is growing up
through them. The winter activity of pocket gophers is shown in
the long snakelike molds on the surface of the ground Avhere the soil
has been pushed out under the snow and left in long snow tunnels.
These have frozen and then become packed and cemented until,
as the snow disappears from above, the hard forms have remained
through the summer. TTsually the mounds are .5 to 15 feet apart
along the tunnels or often in groups as the tunnels run in circles
74 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
find tne mounds are close together. Deer and other animals often
step on the soft ground over the tunnels and break through, but
the opening is promptly closed by the occupants. As the older
burrows become more broken up, however, they are gradually aban-
doned and closed up back of the fresher tunnels which are always
kept in good repair.
In the hotel gardens at Glacier Park seven or- eight pocket gophers
were reveling in the beds of onions, peas, beans, and potatoes. I
caught two of these in the onion beds, from which most of the young
onions had disappeared as far as the j^ocket gopher hills extended,
and found their stomachs well filled with onicms and their whola
bodies strongly scented with them. Two others caught in a patch of
green peas had cut and dragged the plants into their burrows and
eaten them — tops, peas, and all — so that along their lines of travel
nothing but weeds remained. Their stomachs were full of pea vines,
and the characteristic odor of the plants was very noticeable when
the pocket gophers were being skinned. These four were taken one
evening with two gopher traps, but as I was leaving, early in the
morning I did not have time to get the remaining animals, and they
probably spent the summer feasting on fresh young vegetables that
were not intended for their use. An hour's trapping would have
removed all from the garden, and as others slowly worked their way in
from the surrounding grassland they could easily have been caught.
With a long-'bladed knife or flat stick it was a simple matter to
follow down the closed tunnel where the soil had been thrown out
imfil the open burrows were found 6 or 8 inches below the surface ;
then, by cleaning out the loose earth with my hand and slipping a
gopher trap down into the burrow and half closing the opening thus
made, it took but a few minutes to place the trap where it would
catch and kill the animal when he came along. These animals were
caught in the Macabee gopher trap, but several other kinds are almost
as effective.
Pocket gophers never become fat and do not hibernate, so- in winter
their burrows merely run deeper below the frozen ground and thev
still obtain ample food from the roots and underground vegetation.
The passages are usually kept open to the surface of the ground,
where the loose earth from the excavations is pushed out under the
snow, and along these surface tunnels some food is obtained from
green vegetation and the bark of trees and bushes.
While the home life of these animals forms an interesting sub-
ject for close study, it is so difficult to observe them that few people
take any special, interest in them or usually notice more than their
little earth mounds on the surface. Those who are raising crops or
gardens are the ones most likely to be interested in them, and this
from purely economic reasons. What little is known of their habits
MAMMALS. 75
is chiefly' through trapping, either for specimens or to protect crops
and trees, but the more difficult and more interesting task of ex-
caA'ating their lengthy tunnels and making a thorough study of
their homes and of the animals when captured alive remains to be
performed by some one witli ample time and qualities of keen and
accurate observation. Practically nothing is known of the- breeding
habits and family relations of these animals, and few specimens of
the very young have ever been seen even by naturalists. The number
of embryos in females collected for specimens is usually four or
five, and apparently but one litter is raised in a season.
Order LAGOMORPH A : Rabbitlike Animals.
Family OCHOTONIDiE: Conies.
Cony: Ochotoim princeps (Richardson). — The cony, pika, little
chief hare, or calling hare, as various!}' designated in published re-
ports, and McGinty rabbit, as sometimes called locally, is an odd little
labbitlike animal the size of one's fist, with short round ears, short
legs, and no tail at all. The fur is a^ brownish gray color which
blends perfectly with the rocks among which the animals live and
renders them practically invisible except as they move or utter their
little lamblike bleat.
Conies are common throughout most of the beds of broken slide
rock, or talus, near timberline of the whole park region. In 1895 I
collected specimens on the high ridges southwest of Red Eagle Lake,
and in 1917 foimd them in Gunsight- Pass, near Blackfeet Glacier, in
Piegan Pass, near Granite. Park, on the- side of Chief Mountain, on
Kootenai Pass, and near Wateilon Lake. Generally they Avere in
the Hudsonian Zone and often at its extreme upper edge, where the
last traces of depauperate trees are found; but where the slide rock
extends far down the side of the mountain they follow it also to lower
levels, and at the north end of Waterton Lake they were common in
an extensive talus slope at the lower edge of the Canadian Zone only
no feet above the level of the lake. The prime requisite for their
habitat is a mass of broken rocks under which they can take refuge
and make their' homes safe from numerous enemies. Wherever ex-
tensive rock slides are found the conies may be looked for. In Piegan
Pass one lived in the mass of broken diorite, a little above where the
trail crosses the summit, and in Gunsight Pass their calls were heard
from a mass of broken rock just south of the trail. On Kootenai
Pass they were calling from the rocks close to the trail on the
southernmost of the two summits- over which it leads. In Swiftcur-
rent Pass there are good rock slides just west of the summit, and
while I did not hear any of the conies in them, remains of their last
76 WILD ANIMAtS oTYfci©Jl^i^^tCtAt PAKK.
winter's haystacks and alDiinctiivfygns weA. seen not far awa^y, to
the north of Granite Park. Just east of the point where the trail
crosses the ridge west of Cliief Mountain they were calling loudly
from the slide rock along the side of the little meadow, and as I dug
some little wild onions for my lunch one watched me with evident
interest and an oft-repeated yrrmp, ynmp. Apparently he could not
make out what kind of animal I was nor why I should be digging
grass in his meadow where all of the scanty hay was needed for his
Avinter supply.
During the short, bright summers of these high, altitudes conies
are busy little people energetically gathering the grass and sedges
and various, small plants and storing them for winter use under the
rocks, where they dry and become like well-cured hay. A great
A-ariety of plants are thus, collected and apparenth^ nothing is re-
jected that has green foliage or stems. As the cold weather draws
near they redouble their energy, and the haystacks grow steadily
until the first permanent snows close in and bury both hay and hay-
maker. As storm after storm sweeps over and the mountains are
Ijuried deeper and deeper under the winter blanket, the conies are well
protected from both the severe weather and the attacks of numerous
enemies. Deep under the. rocks they can come a.ncl go for long dis-
tances and undoubtedly visit back and forth and perhaps exchange
dainty selections of hay with their friends and neighbors. In June,
when most of the big snow banks have melted over their rock piles,
a few little sticks and dry stems and particles of the hay are all that
I'emain, but the conies are out gathering the tender green plants as
they come up from the newly warmed earth. Their long, furrj', win-
ter coats are gradually exchanged for thinner and harsher summer
Avear, but otherwise they are the same timid, bright little animals of
the previous- autumn and none the worse for being buried seven or
eight months under the snow.
The three or four young are born early in June, and by the middle
of July are usually found running about over the rocks with their
parents, and by the middle of August are helping to store the next
winter's hay crop. As they scamper about over the rocks with their
furry-soled feet, noiseless as the flight of an owl, they are rarely
seen except by those Avho know their voice and something of their
habits and the nature of their habitat. They are very timid,
and at the first alarm dive like a flash out of sight among the
rocks, but if one secures a good position from which to Avatch and
sits quietly for a fcAV minutes they Avill reappear as noiselessly ajs
they disappeared and often sit and Avatch the strange intruder at
close range foi' many minutes. Occasionally they will open their
mouths and emit a squeaky ijmnp while they Avatch closely to see
MAMMALS. 77
what effect it has on tlie intriuler. Those at a distance often take up
the call note, which seems to be a warning signal, and, with patience,
one may ofteit have them calling on all sides. Finally deciding that
there is no danger, they will resume their work and run back and
forth from the meadows to the rock-sheltered haystacks Avith great
wads of grass and flowering plants in their mouths or sit on the rock
points to munch their midday meal of grass stems or other green
plants. It is usually possible with patience and perseverance gradu-
ally to win their confidence until they can be photographed at 6 or
even 4 feet from the camera. They are such gentle little animals
that it seems strange they have not been tamed and introduced as pets
for children, but it is doubtful whether they would thrive away from
their native rock piles.
Family LEPORID^: Rabbits and Hares. -^ i Y « OJO'C"'Z
Snowsiioe Eabbit : Lepiis hairdihairdiJIixjden. — The large wcwds* > '" A.
rabbits, pure white in winter and dark brownish gray with white
feet in summer, are common throughout the whole timbered area of
Glacier Park, mainly in the Canadian Zone. They are so protectively
colored in both winter and summer as to be inconspicuous and not
often seen, but their little trails through the bushes and their large
flattened pellets of sawdust droppings may usually be found any-
where in the woods. Occasionalh' one is seen in a trail or road early
in the morning or evening or is frightened out of its form under a
bush or log and goes bounding away with conspicuous flashes of the
big white feet until at a little distance it suddenly stops and sits
down on the white feet, absolutely lost to view. More often one
will -sit quietly close to the trail or allow a person to pass near
without making any move or sound. Even when they do run
their softly padded feet make little sound and they generally escape
without being noticed. Near the St. Mary Chalet at dusk one even-
ing I saw one sitting in the trail at the edge of the woods. It had
CA'idently found some salt or scattered grain which it was eagerly
j^icking up from the ground, and by approaching slowly and talking
softly to it, I was able to come v^dthin about 15 feet before it became
alarmed. Unfortunately the light Avas too far gone for a photograph,
but the rabbit ran only a few feet away and then stopped to wait until
the coast was clear for a return to its feeding ground. Apparently
it Avould not be difficult to bait them along some of the woods trails in
order to study them at close range.
The food of these rabbits consists of green plants of a great variety,
especially the wild clovers and leguminous species, and in winter
chiefly bark and buds from twigs and bushes. As the snow gets
deeper it only raises them higher up to a new supply of choice buds
78
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
and bark, and few animals are better adapted to deep snow and
rigorous winter climates than these densely furred and well-shod
snowshoe rabbits. The long coarse hairs of the feet spread and help
carry them over the surface of even the soft snows, M'hile over well-
packed or crusted snows they scamper with evident enjoyment and
wonderful speed.
Their mating time is early in spring, and the four to six young,
born in May or June, are soon big enough to pick tender green vege-
tation as a part of their food. When first born they are well-
furred, perfect little rabbits with sharp incisor teeth and open
eyes, and of such a soft, shadowy, woodsy color that it would seem
they must defy the keenest eyes of owl or fox. About the time of
the first snows in autumn the
white hair begins to appear
through their coats and they are
at first grizzled and mottled, but
later, as the whole world about
them becomes pure white, they
rapidly acquire the full white coat
of winter.
Thej^ do not become fat or hiber-
nate, but seem always to be plump
and healthy, and for food are
among the most delicious of all
the rabbits. Their arch enemy,
the Canada Ij'nx, is also common
throughout this region and prob-
ably more than any other animal
keeps their numbers down to a minimum. Hawks, owls, foxes, and
coyotes occasionally prey upon them but often are unable to capture
them, either by stealth or in a test of speed.
Prairie Jack Eabbit; Lepus townsendi campanius Hollister. —
These big white-tailed jack rabbits with gray summer and pure
vrhite winter coats are common over the Plains along the eastern side
of the park and extend in open areas up to the edge of the timber.
In the Museum of Comparative Zoology, at Cambridge, there is a
specimen collected by Dr. Coues, August 16, 1874, and labeled Chief
Mountain. This may have come from the open countiy at the base
of Chief Mountain or from the Belly River valley, but as the park
line cuts through the middle of the mountain there is some doubt as
to whether it was collected in the park or outside. Rabbits are most
likely to be seen along the stage road to St. Mary, or from St. Mary
around to the Swiftcurrent Valley or in the open parks along Belly
River.
Photo, by Norman McClintock. lOisM
If'iG. 13. — Northern white-tailed jack-
rabbit, photographed at Fort Yellow-
stone in March, 1017.
Laboratory of Ornitnoiogj
159 Sapsucker Woods Roafl
MAMMALS. Cornell University 79
Utiaca. New York 14850
Once seen, there can be no mistiiking the species, for large size,
long ears, and a big white puffy tail are conspicuous characters, to
be recognized almost as far away as the white rump of the antelope.
The animals arc strictly prairie dwellers and are generally seen as
they bound out of their forms in the grass where the}' sit during most
of the day. Their long leaps above the prairie grass are almost as
startling as the white flashes of the white-tail deer in Hight, and their
speed is perhaps exceeded only by that of the antelope and grey-
hound. As game animals they afford good spurt in shooting, and
their meat is considered excellent.
Their food in summer is niainl}' of grass and the leaves of tender
prairie plants or any growing grain, clover, or alfalfa that may be
found on farms, while in winter it is chiefly of twigs, bark, and buds.
In farming sections jack rabbits often do some mischief during the
winter season in cutting off' young fruit trees and bushes, but over
most of their range thej' are a harmless and valuable game animal.
Order CARNIVORA: Flesh Eaters.
Family FELID^: Cats.
Mountain Lion : Fells hippolestes Merriam. — The northern
pumas, cougars, or mountain lions are still common on the west
slope of the mountains in Glacier Park where the dense forest and
abundance of deer offer them unusual advantages in safe cover and
ample food suj^ply. On the east slope they are comparatively scarce,
and I have only one definite record of tracks seen, one at Iceberg
Lake in Xovember, 1907, by Donald H. Stevenson. In many j^cars'
residence in the park he found no other tracks on the east slope, but
found them common on the west, and reported about 24 lions
taken each year. In 1917, Park Kanger Gibb told me of 11 killed
by one hunter in the North Fork Valley during tJie preceding win-
ter. Apparently they are still almost as numerous as they were in
1895, when I first went through the park region. At that time they
were common all along the west slope of the park, and at one of my
camps just west of the park I had the unusual pleasure of hearing
one's wild cry in the mountains at night. It was not the childlike
scream of the young horned owl, so often attributed to mountain
lions, but a long, hoarse woh-'u-p-o-u somewhat suggcGting the roar
of a lion, but more like the exaggerated caterwauling of the back
yard tomcat in its deepest and most pensive mood. This prolonged
call was repeated at intervals of about one minute as the animal
passed through the forest not far from camp, and could lie heard
for a long distance in the still night. On onlj' two other occasions
have I heard this cry in the woods, and once in the National Zoo-
511-10°— IS 7
80
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
logical Park, and while it may not be the only call of the mountain
lion, it is certainly very different from the wild scream usually
attributed to it.
During the winter of 1809, A. Henry Iligginson, while camped at
the southern border of the park, in the vicinity of Nyack, found
these animals abundant throughout the forest. One was shot near
his camp, and the carcasses of two deer were found on wdiich they had
been feeding. As his man was returning late one evening a moun-
tain lion followed him to within 50 yards of the cabin door, as was
shown by its tracks the next morning. It seems to be a common
habit of these animals to follow a man at a safe distance, but there
are few records of their attacking human beings. It is not unusual
to find their tracks near camp in the morning, but the animals are
Fic. 11, — Two luonntnin lions th;it will kill no moro gamo. The only good mountain
lions in c! big game country arc those gathered in by hunters and trappers.
SO silent and stealthy that they are rarely seen, even where most
numerous.
In this region their food consists mainly of the Avhite-tail deer,
which abound on the west iilope of the park, but it is prol)able that
they get some elk and moose and occasionally mountain sheep and
goats. When a deer is killed they often return to the carcass for a
second feed, but as often move on and kill another deer Avhen hungry.
One deer every few days would be a fair estimate of the game de-
stroyed by each of these big cats, and a hundred deer a year would
probably not be too high for each adult.
The young are usually three or four to a litter, but as many as
eight are recorded for this species. As soon as old enough to travel
with their mother they join in the venison feasts, which, to satisfy
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XV.
-^'-^y, '
J
^-
J^'
7
4J
/^gP
K
N
Jl!^»
^^^^i**^fc*. ^
^Stji
jK^--'"^|sS
i^P^
<^^-t_i2:^:t_^
i"^^
^
il« AS
^■«^>„ .^
»-I^.v
^^^
^^mAM
^^^^C''""^ "^^
f^^iis,:: u..._
l9P
^„ / ! , ' '
a&^1^^'~::stsiJim^
:.^S£Z"^^
Photo, by Jacob NeitzUng. b m i r m
FIG. 1.— HALF-GROWN MOUNTAIN LIONS IN TOP OF A YELLOW PINE WEST OF
GLACIER PARK.
Photo, by Jacob Neitzling. bui2m
FIG. 2.— THE SAME LIONS IN ANOTHER POSITION.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XVI.
FIG. 1.— CANADA LYNX. MOUNTED SPECIMEN IN BIOLOGICAL SURVEY COL-
LECTION IN U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM.
Phnto. by Donald Stevenson.
FIG. 2.— THE LARGE NORTHERN BOBCAT IN WINTER FUR. CAUGHT IN TRAP
IN WESTERN WYOMING.
MAMMALS. 81
their growing appetites, require tlie sliuigliter of a large quantity of
game. As tlie lions are almost never seen except by hunters, their
contribution to the interest of the park is negligible, and some
effective means should be taken for their destruction.
Canada Lynx : Lynx canadensis Kerr. — These short-tailed, tas-
sel-eared, big-footed cats are more or less connnon throughout the
Glacier Park region. Their actual weight is usually no more than
that of the large northern bobcat, but owing to their longer legs and
longer fur they have the appearance of being much larger. A large
one taken by Stevenson weighed 28 pounds. They are readily dis-
tinguished from the bobcat not only by the large feet, long legs, and
light gray color, but most infallibly by the solid black tip of the short
tail.
Their range covers the whole park region, especially in the timber
and brushy areas where the snowshoe rabbits abound. In 1895 I
found their tracks in the woods about St. Mary Lake, and one was
caught near timberline, just north of the lake, in a bear trap baited
with mountain sheep. Don Stevenson, who has trapped and shot
many of them in the area now comprised in the (xlacier Park, says
he has never known of their killing any game larger than snowshoe
rabbits and grouse. He says also that he has heard them make a
cry not unlike a young puppy in distress. Park Ranger Gibb and
T'ark Guide Gird, who trapped in this region before it was made
a park and have been familiar with the country ever since, also report
the lynx as common, and J. E. Lewis, at Lake McDonald, tells me
that their skins constitute one of the important furs in the catch
of the trappers in that region. The animals, however, are rarelj' seen
by anyone in summer and seldom even in winter by the hunters and
trappers, unless caught in traps or their tracks followed on the snow
until the animals are forced out of their daytime concealment. Their
hunting is mainly but not entirely at night, and with soft, furry feet,
stealthy habits, and owl-like silence, they are expert in keeping out
of sight.
The snowshoe rabbit is their principal game, and with its abund-
ance they increase or decrease in a mysterious synchronism that has
given them the reputation of being partially migratory. It seems
more probable, however, that in years of well-fed vigor they breed
and multiply more rapidly, and in lean years, perhaps, fail to breed
or even in some cases become so weakened by hunger as to fall prey
to disease or enemies. At all events, during years when rabbits are
abundant they, too, become abundant, and when there are few rab-
bits they are correspondingly scarce. While evidently a great part
of their food consists of rabbits, grouse, squirrels, and other small
o-ame, the fact that they have been found by Charles Sheldon killing
82 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
full-gi'own mountain sheep in Alaslca^ is sufficient evidence tliat they
are a menace to many of the large game animals. From their abun-
dance and stealthy habits it would seem almost inevitable that the
young of mountain sheep, deer, and goats must suffer greatly from
their depredations, and as their presence adds little of interest to the
park, tlie}^ could certainly be vifell spared in the interest of game
protection.
Bobcat: Lynx u'mta Merriam. — The northern bobcat, "wildcat, or
bay lynx, while one of the largest of the group, has the aiDpearance
of being much smaller than the Canada h'lix, owing to its shorter legs,
smaller feet, and shorter fur; but in actual weight it apparently
equals, if it does not exceed, the Canada lynx. The type of the
species, an old male collected at Bridger's Pass, Wyo., weighed 31-J
pounds. In color bobcats are variable from buffy to rich ochraceous
gray, with heavily spotted belly, sides, and flanks. The ear tassels
and facial ruffs are not so prominent as in the Canada Ij-nx and the
tip of the short tail is white with a black band above.
Bobcats are not common in the Glacier Park, but I have seen their
unmistakable tracks along the shores of St. Mary Lake, and Gird
tells me that there are a few in the lower areas of the park. They
belong mainly to lower zones, the Transition and Austral, and are
common along the cliffs and canyons of the lower levels of the State.
Their game is principally cottontail rabbits, ground squirrels,
pocket gophers, mice, and other small animals and birds, but the
freedom with which they kill and eat domestic sheejo would indicate
that they are not safe animals to have in a region where the increase
of large game is to be encouraged. They have the reputation of
destroying great numbers of j^oung deer, mountain sheep, and other
game animals, and it is fortunate that they do not reside in the park
in abundance.
Family CANID/E: Wolves and Foxes.
Gray Wolf: Canis nuh'ilus Say. — Along the eastern edge of the
park, in the open country, are still found the large light-colored
plains wolves, known also as buffalo wolf, loafer, and lobo, and a few
occasionally range up through the valleys and over the high parts
of the mountains. J. E. Lewis tells me of two that were caught on
Flat Top Mountain in the winter of 1916-17, and along the trails in
the Belly Eiver valley in August, 1917, I saw wolf signs that were
not very old. The wolves had evidently been down in the cattle
country as the sign was composed mainly of cattle hair. Don
Stevenson reports them in the country about Chief Mountain for
1 Wilderness of the LTpper Yukon, by Charles Sheldon, pp. 314-.'31."i. Scrihner's, 1911.
J
Wild Animals Glacier Park
PLATE XVII
FIG. 1.— CAPTIVE COYOTE IN NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK.
^CX
FIG. 2.— CAPTIVE GRAY WOLVES FROM GREEN RIVER VALLEY, WYO., IN
NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK.
MAMMALS. 83
the past 20 years, where they have ranged up and down the edge of
the Plams killing cattle and some horses, and in 1914 he saw their
tracks on St. Mary Ridge at the park line. There are said to be some
in the North Fork Valley, where it is probable they are attracted by
the abundance of deer, as they are on the eastern border by the
abundance of domestic stock. In 1895 they seemed to be no more
common than at the present time, as I saw then only a few tracks
on the prairie below St. Mary Lake, and some fine skins among the
Indians on the Blackfeet Reservation.
As the valleys settle up, more vigorous hunting and trapping is
likely to crowd the wolves back into the park at any time and make
them more numerous than they are at present. If so, their de-
struction of game will be correspondingly increased, and the sheep,
goats, deer, elk, and moose will suffer from their depredations. If
unmolested they seem to prefer the domestic stock where it is
abundant and easily accessible, but, if a supply of beef can not be
obtained, they readily take to the game trails and will hunt success-
fully either in the woods or in the open. It is to be hoped that their
abundance can be controlled and their presence in the park practi-
cally eliminated before many years.
Northern Coyote: Canis lafrans Say. — The big, northern, brown
coyote seems to be the predominant species in the mountains of
Glacier Park, but it is not improbable that the smaller, paler nehra-
censis enters at least the lower, more open valleys on the east. As
no specimens are available from the park or immediate vicinity, the
determination of the form must rest upon the large size and dark
color of the individuals seen in the park. They are surprisingly
common in the elevated interior, where their tracks and signs were
daily seen along the trails, over the passes, and even along sheep and
goat trails above timberline. One seen on July 31 picking its way
over the rocks across the lower end of Blackfeet Glacier was in
the thin summer coat of dark grizzled brown, but was not thin and
skinny as summer individuals usually are. He looked plump and
well fed and was so large that I looked closely to see if he were not
a wolf. The tracks seen along the trails, about Gunsight Lake, in
Piegan Pass, along the Swiftcurrent Creek, both forks of Kennedy
Creek, the Belly River valley, about Elizabeth and Glenn Lakes, in
the Waterton Lake valley, the whole length of the North Fork Val-
ley, about Lake McDonald, and over Kootenai Pass and Flat Top
Mountain were generally large. Along the side of Gable Mountain
a track had followed sheep trails over the snow banks for several
miles. In other places the animals followed the trails for long dis-
tances through heavy timber, where they seemed to be as much at
home as in the open above or below timberline.
84
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIEE NATIONAL PARK.
Along tho higher trails their sign "was almost entirely of goat
wool and sheep hair, showing what had been their principal prey,
but in some cases deer hair was also detected, and in the vallej^s
it was the main refuse from their food. In places where their
tracks were most abundant the sheep and goats were usually scarce,
and evidently the almost inaccessible clitfs to which these animals
resort during the daytime are their only protection from constant
attacks of the coyotes. In the evening botht the sheep and goats
come down into the little alpine meadows to feed, and if not con-
stantly harassed they would undoubtedly remain at much lower
levels during the daytime than at present, when they would be of
more general interest to the tourists. Their only safety seems to be
in getting on the narrowest, most elevated shelves of the cliffs, where
pursuit would be difficult and dangerous, and where the naked rocks
arc too rough and sharp for the bootless feet of carnivores. To save
their feet the coyotes keep
very largely along the
trails or in the meadows
where the ground is soft,
and for this reason they
are easily trapped. I was
told that last winter one
trapper caught 22 on Flat
Top Mountain where they
pass over from the "Water-
ton to- the McDonald
Creek valley. It would
not be difficult for one or
two reliable and skillful trappers, kept on the job throughout the
year, to keep the number of coyotes in the park to a practically
harmless minimum.
Mountain Red Fox: Vidpcs; fulva inocroura Baird. — The moun-
tain red or cross foxes are occasionally seen in Glacier Park, and
in all their various color phases can be readily recognized by the
large white tips of the bushy tails. They vary in color from the
yellow red to a very much darker' yellowish brown, with often a pro-
nounced dark stripe across the shoulders, which gives this phase the
name of cross fox. J. E. Lewis, at Lake McDonald, had some skins
of the pure red, but more of varying shades of cross, and one that
was showing the white tips on a very dark underfur that would have
been classed as a silver-gray, except for a little rusty on the sides of
the neck and flanks. I could get no record of the pure black fox
from the park area, but this fully melanistic phase is so rare that
very few are taken anywhere in the Rocky Mountain region. All
A
'
!«■-;'■ _^, ... .
,^^^3SfS^^S^
fe
Photo, by J. A. Loring. ICIIM,
Fig. 15. — Mountain red (ox in Wind River JIouu
tains, Wyoming.
MAMMALS. 85
the grades of color comprise but a single species or subspecies of the
red fox group.
In 1895 Hank Xorris told me that there -n-ere a few red foxes about
St. Mary Lake, and Don Stevenson caught a pair on Swiftcurrent
Creek in 1903 and says that old trappers reported them abundant in
the eighties. In Julj^, 1917, one was seen near Piegan Pass, and they
are reported by Gibb as fairly common in the open along the crest
of the range. In their favorite haunts on Pludsonian Zone meadows
and open slopes, ground squirrels, mice, and birds supply them with
abundant food, and among the broken rocks safe dens are always
available. Their slender tracks in the trails and occasionallj' the
sharp fox bark are the usual indications of their presence, except as
one of the animals may be seen gliding lightly across the meadows.
While it is probable that they get some ptarmigan and grouse, their
numbers are so well kept down by the trappers around the borders of
the park that they are not likely to be a serious menace even to the
small game of the region.
Kit Fox; Swift: Yulpes velox hehes Merriam. — These little
buffy gray foxes with black tips to the tails are conmion over the
Plains along the eastern edge of the park, and undoubtedly enter its
present borders in the open area at the lower end of St. Mary Lake
and in the Swiftcurrent and Belly Eiver valleys, but there seems
to be no positive record of their having been seen or taken within
the park boundaries. They are shy animals, not often seen even
where most common, but wherever they occur their tiny doglike
tracks may be found along dusty trails, and on rare occasions one
may be seen gliding through the prairie gi-ass with light, graceful,
rapid motions, which have given them their connnon name of swift.
Family MUSTELID.^: Otters, Martens, Minks, Weasels, etc.
Otter : Lutra canadensis canadensis Schreber. — Otters are said
to be fairly common along many of the streams in the park, especially
on the west slope and in the north fork of Flathead Valley. Donald
Stevenson reports them on Swiftcurrent Creek and St. Mary Eiver,
and in 1895 I was told that there were a few at Eed Eagle Lake.
Eanger Gibb reports them at Tavo Medicine Lake, on McDonald
Lake, and other localities in the North Fork Valley. Before the
Glacier Park was set aside otter skins were a small but important
part of the winter's catch of the trappers in this region, and some
very choice skins were obtained.
While swimming in the water of the lakes or streams, where they
are most likely to be seen, otters may be recognized by their long
and slender bodies and rapid, graceful motions. Except the beaver
and muskrat, they are more perfectly adapted to life in the water
86
WILD AXIMALS OP GLACIEE KATJONAL PAEK.
than any other fur bearers of the region. Their long, tapering, and
powerfully ninsciilar tails serve as propellers as well as rudders, and
the animals glide through the water with great swiftness and an
almost serpentine grace that distinguishes them even at a distance
from the heavy-bodied bea\'er. Their dark glossy brown fur has put
a high price on their heads and nowhere are they at present found in
any great abundance.
Mink: Lutreola 'vison energumenos (Bangs). — Minks are fairly
common along the streams and lake shores in the park, but nowhere
numerous, as their numbers are kept down by persistent trapping.
A few tracks were seen along the banks of Belly Eiver, Two Medicine
Creek, and shores of St. Mary, Kintla, and McDonald Lakes. Eanger
Gibb reports them along most of the streams and Donald Stevenson
says they are especially common along the streams where fish abound.
J. E. Lewis, at Lake JNIcDonald, had skins from that general region.
Fig. 16. — Mink photographed at old cabin a)jove Kintla Lake.
that showed good color and excellent fur, and says that thej' con-
stitute an important part of the fur catch of the region each year.
Minks are rarely seen except as caught in traps, but occasionally
one gets a glimpse of a little dark brown animal with fuzzy tail dart-
ing along the creek banks or loping with arched back along the lake
shore or swinmiing rapidly in the stream or lake. They are generally
found in the vicinity of water, where much of their hunting is done.
Their food consists mainly of mice and other small rodents, birds,
birds' eggs, frogs, and fish. Of small game they occasionally kill
muskrats, ducks, and probably grouse. At what appeared to be a
breeding den at an old muskrat burrow on Lower Waterton Lake duck
feathers were scattered thickly about the burrows, while at one side
Avas a large heap of characteristic mink sign, composed also largely,
of feathers and bones of water birds. A family of mink on the breed-
ing grounds of water birds is always a serious drain on the bird life,
and it is fortunate that they are not abundant and that their attrac-
Wild Animals Glacier Parl<.
PLATE XVIII
B28SM
FIG. 1.— FiSHER. PHOTOGRAPH OF A CAPTIVE I N Dl VI DUAL I N N ATION AL
ZOOLOGICAL PARK.
f:%
^- W, v||;;
FIG. 2.— CAPTIVE OTTERS IN NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK AT WASHINGTON,
D. C.
MAMMALS. 87
tire fur puts a high value on their slvins. Their destruction of fish
is apparently not serious, although they feed quite extensively upon
minnows and small fish, which they catch alive, but it is probable that
the larger fish caught are the sick or injured individuals.
Arizona Weasel: Mustela arkonenfils (Mearns). — These are me-
dium sized weasels with buffy brown backs and white lowerparts in
summer, but in winter pure white, except the tip of the tail, which
is at all seasons black. They are probably the commonest weasel
throughout the park and may be found at all altitudes and in all
kinds of countrj' from the deep woods to the open meadows and bare
slopes above timberline. In June, 1895, I caught one on a log over
a creek at St. Mary Lake. They are great hunters and wanderers
and seem to be incessantly chasing over logs and under brush,
through rock piles, and from burrow to burrow and nest to nest of
the small game which they pursue. Api^arently thev have no choice
of day or night for hunting, but simply hunt until their appetites
are satisfied and then keep on hunting for the pleasure of killing,
(xround sfiuirrels, chipmunks, mice, and all small rodents are at once
thrown into a panic when a weasel appears on the slope, and with
loud calls warn each other as far as possible in advance of a danger-
ous enemy. Even the pocket go]:)her in his tunnels imderground is
]iot safe if an open door can be found or an entrance forced into his
galleries. He is relentlessly follo^^'ed up and quickly dispatched and
devoured and often his burrow is used as a temporary residence while
the other rodents in the vicinity are being killed and eaten, or killed
and left uneaten. Any thing of the weasel's own size or even con-
siderably larger is fair game, but I have never known of this species
killing the snowshoe rabbit. The conies are greatly excited by the
appearance of a weasel, and many of the colonies that seem to have
disappeared were probably exterminated by weasels, which readily
follow their runwaj^s under the rocks and give them no chance
of escape. In winter their tracks are seen in long zigzag lines over
the snow, or they disappear at a round burrow which has been forced
down through the snow to the surface of the ground, where mice and
squirrels and pocket gophers have their runways and can be fol-
lowed up and caught. The pure white winter coats, however, have
a market value, and great numbers of weasels are caught in the lines
of ti'aps set for minks and martens and more valuable game. While
not sufficiently large and long furred to be as valuable as the Old
World ermine, their pure white skins are extensively used for furs.
Long-tailed Weasel : Mustela. longicauda longicaiuJa Bonaparte. —
These large, long-tailed, yellow-bellied weasels also are buffy brown
in summer and pure white in winter, except for a usual sulphur-
colored stain over the belly and the long black tip of the tail.
88 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PAEK.
They are common over the Phiins along the eastern edge of the
Ghxcier Park and apparently extend up in the open tongues of
prairie which follow up the valleys. Two specimens collected by
Coues in 1877 at Chief Mountain Lake (Waterton Lake) were in or
close to the edge of the park, and one collected by Ernest Thompson
JSeton on Eagle Creek has been listed as this species. In May, 1895,
I collected an adult female on Cut Bank Creek below the park line,
and in August, 1917, I found one dead by the trail between Upper
and Lower Waterton Lakes. These large weasels are closely asso-
ciated with the flickertail, or Eichardson ground squirrel, over much
of their range. At Cut Bank Creek I shot one that was running from
one burrow to another in pursuit of these squirrels and after some
digging found it dead curled up in the nest of the squirrel at the far
end of the burrow. Mice and other small rodents probably furnish
much of their food, but the ground squirrels and especially the j'oung
are easily obtained and apparently relished by the weasels. The
weasels are never abundant, however, and the squirrels thrive in spite
of the numbers destroyed. Possibly some small game and birds may
be killed by them, but as a general thing they may be considered very
useful animals. In winter their white skins have some value for fur,
but the j-ellow suifusion usualty renders them less valuable than the
species with pure white fur.
Bonaparte Weasel : Mustela cicognanii cicognan'd Bonaparte. — ■
A very small weasel is reported in the Glacier Park which probably
is this species, but no specimens are available for actual determina-
tion. Donald Stevenson reports them apparently fully adult and in
the white winter coats, but only eight inches long, including the black
tip of the tail. This could hardly be any other species, unless it can be
referred to the still smaller leptus of the southern Rocky jNIountains.
Usually these little weasels are less common than the larger species,
or else from their small size they more generally escape notice. They
range at all altitudes through the mountains and feed mainly upon
mice, which they readily follow through the runways and burrows.
In summer they are brown above and white below and in winter pure
white except the black tip of the tail, but their skins are so small as to
be of little value, and perhaps owing to their small size they are not
so often caught in steel traps set for larger game.
Marten: Maries americana catmna (Merriam). — The marten is
al)0ut the size of a mink, but with longer, lighter fur and more promi-
nent ears, which in the wild state give them a much brighter, more
foxlike expression. Their furry coats vary from light yellow to
dark brown with lighter or sometimes bright orange throat and bellv.
They are probably as common in the park as anywhere in the
country, but no animal with the price on its skin that they have
MAMMAXS. 89
long maintained, cauki well be numerous or very common. For at
least half a cenfmy the park region has been famous for the number
of martens caught e^ch year by trappers. In 1895 old and fresh
marten traps and old tra-pper cabins were common throughout the
area where the park now lies, and lines of blazed trees, that once
marked trap lines may still be found through the most remote and
heavily wooded sections of the park. The animals are reported to
be more common on the west slope of the mountains than on the east,
but this is probably because the timber there is more dense and ex-
tensive and it has not been possible to trap them out so thoroughly.
Martens are forest animals, keeping usually in the heavy timber,
where they hunt from tree to tree and over and under logs and brush
for their prey. They are expert climbers, and if seen at all in the
woods are most likely to be seen in the trees. When startled thej'
usuallj' take refuge in a tree and may thus attract attention by the
noise they make in climbing. At McDonald Lake in August, 1917,
while picking my way through the underbrush, several ruffed grouse
started up with a roar of wings, and from close to the spot a marten
rushed up the trunk of a small Cottonwood tree. He was so close to
the grouse that he had evidently been stalking or lying in wait for
them, but when I flushed the flock he also took alarm and made a
ra-ther noisy escape. When up 30 or 40 feet from the ground he
seemed to consider himself safe and sat on a branch watching me
with keen interest. To further test his climbing powers I climbed
the tree to within a few feet of him, when he became greatly alarmed
and made a long jump to the branches of the next tree. By swinging
my tree as far as possible I was able to catch one of the branches of
the tree he was in, and by quick jerks shook the tree until he became
still more alarmed and made a flying leap for the ground, about 40
feet below, where he struck lightly and, bounding away through the
Avoods, was soon lost to sight and sound.
Donald Stevenson, who has spent many winters in trapping them,
states that the principal food of martens is snowshoe raljbits and pine
siiuirrels, but they also catch mice, wood rats, and conies, and un-
doubtedly a good many birds. The scarcity of grouse in a good
marten country is easily interpreted. Rabbits, squirrels, and birds
are mostly used for trap bait, and the traps are set in a little jDen
cohered to keep out the snow, or on the top of a stump with a shelter
or on a little shelf on the side of a tree above which the bait is sus-
pended. Steel traps are generally employed, but many deadfalls
of the ordinary type are used and some are made with the butt end
of a small tree boxed into the top of its stump with a figure 4 under-
neath. Martens are as a rule unsuspicious and easily caught wher-
ever they occur. Their abundance in the park would tend to keep
down other small animal life, especially the squirrels and grouse,
51140°— 18 s
90 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
which furnish important features of interest. A few would do no
serious harm, but the delicate balance of species is not easilj'- main-
tained by hard and fast laws of man. Special permits to reliable
parties for trapping them in the park during a limited season when
they become too numerous would probably control their numbers
here, while outside the park there is no danger of their ever becom-
ing too abundant.
Fisher: Maries pennanti (Erxleben).^The fisher is many times
larger than the marten, with long coarse fur of a black or dark gray
color. Although ranging entirely across southern Canada, it is
at present a rare animal in any part of the United States. A
few are reported in the park, where they are likelj' to hold their own
and through proper jirotection maintain a remnant of the species for
a long time to come. In many years of trapping in the park region
in the early days, Walter S. Gibb has caught three of these animals,
but some of the old trappers have not secured a skin. Donald Stev-
enson reports two skins that were taken by trappers on the Upper
Swiftcurrent in 1910, and tracks which he saw on Swan Eiver and
South Fork as late as 1912.
In habits these animals are much like the marten, hunting through
the forest country for rabbits, squirrels, and grouse, and ranging
over a wide territory. They are expert climbers and are said to pur-
sue their prey even through the tree tops in long leaps from tree to
tree. Their fur is heavj^ and soft and overlaid with rather coarse
but glossy hairs that render it durable and attractive. It ranks as one
of the more valuable furs, partlj' from its intrinsic qualities and
partly from its rarit_y.
Wolverine: GvIo Jiiscus (Linna:'us). — The wolverine is a sturdy,
heavy-boclied animal, with short bushy tail, long coarse hair, and a
unique pattern of brown and black, with a yellow band over back and
sides. It is the largest of our weasel tribe and has the reputation of
being a fierce little beast, ready to fight anything of its own size or
many times larger.
In 1895 I was told by trappers at St. Mary Lake and over the
range that there Avere a few in the region and occasionally one was
caught. Eanger Gibb reports a few trapped each year before the
park was created, and Stevenson reports one killed by his father on
Kennedy Creek in 1902 and tracks seen above St. JNIary Lake in 1910.
Gird told me of one killed in the Kintla Lake region a few years
ago, but Lewis thinks there are none left in the park at present.
They are great wanderers, however, and in this forested region one
is likely to ajDpear at any time from some neighboring range.
With their short legs and heavy build they are not expert in the
pursuit of live game and to a great extent are scavengers and rob-
MAMMALS. 91
bers. They often follow the trap lines, breaking up the trap pens
and eating the bait without getting caught, or when caught in small
traps breaking the traps and so going free with an experience that
is valuable to them later in keeping out of other larger traps. The,y
travel long distances in search of any dead, sick, or crippled animal,
and they have the reputation of feeding even upon the porcupine.
Their long, coarse fur, when in prime condition, makes up into
beautiful robes and coats and brings a high price in the fur market.
It is very durable and has a beauty and individuality which give it
a high rank.
Northern Skunk; Mephitis hudsonica Eichardson. — The large
northern skunks are common in many places in the lower levels of
the park. They belong to the Transition Zone, but at times wander
slightly beyond its borders. At Many Glacier and about Lake Mc-
Donald they are fairty common, and tracks were seen near St. JNIary
Lake, and in 1895 a specimen was collected at Nyack, a little station
on the Great Northern Railroad between the summit of the range
and Belton. They are not sufficiently numerous to be troublesome,
and I did not detect their powerful odor at any place in the park.
Thej' are harmless and interesting animals, except on rare occasions
when they find convenient quarters under camps or cabins and on
being disturbed make themselves offensive. Whenever they become
objectionable they may easily be caught in box traps and carried
to a safe distance for release or be dispatched if necessary.
Skunks make much of their food of insects, mice, and any small
rodents that they can dig out of the ground or capture by their
slow methods. They are fond also of berries or any sweet fruit and
find much to their taste in the garbage piles or refuse thrown out
from camps and hotels. In autumn they become very fat, and about
the time the ground begins to freeze enter their deep burrows and
curl up for a long winter sleep. Their fur is at its best just before
they enter upon or after they emerge from hibernation, and, while
not high-priced, it often forms an important part of the trappers'
catch in the low country.
Badger: Taxidea taxus (Schreber). — Badgers are common over the
Plains country along the eastern border of the park, and if they
enter the present park boundaries at all it is only in the open areas
in its eastern valleys. Apparently they are entirely absent from the
timber or mountainous area. In 1895 I reported them as common
at the lower end of St. INIary Lake. Isut in 1917 could find no trace
of even their burrows inside of the park line. Ranger Gibb says
that he has never seen- them in the park. They certainly are not a
common animal within its borders.
c'^'^i'^' 'f^' Z fp 'p 1
92 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PABK.
Out over the Plains they spend most of their time digging out
the. burrows of the flicliertail, or Eichardson ground squirrel, and
feasting upon the fat occupants. While thus engaged in doing
the greatest possible service to the ranchmen they are killed on
every possible occasion, because their big burrows on the prairie
are a menace to horse and rider. They are also trapped to some
extent for their fur, which in this northern climate becomes very
long and is in considerable demand for clothing. Meanwhile the
ground squirrels, in imchecked abundance, destroy the crops and
forage until the country Ijecomes sufficiently populous and jarosper-
ous for them to be systematical!}^ destroyed by artificial means. In
autumn badgers become very fat, and before the ground is frozen too
far down they dig deep burrows, in which they barricade themselves
for a long winter's hil)ernation.
Family URSID^: Bears.
Black Bear; Cinnamon Bear: Ursiis americanus Pallas. — Black
and brown bears are found over practically all of Glacier Park,
and at various seasons range from the lowest levels to above timber-
line. During July and August of 1917 they were most abundant
in the valley bottoms, where the many ripening berries had attracted
them. Their tracks and signs were seen along the trails and roads
at St. Mary Lake, in the Swiftcurrent, Belly Eiver, and Waterton
Valleys, at the lower ends of Gunsight and Ellen Wilson Lakes, and
about Granite Park. During the last week in August bears were
especially common about Lake McDonald, and they are said to
be numerous throughout the valley of the North Fork of Flathead
River. They are not restricted to any life zone, as their search for
food throughout the season carries them back and forth from above
timberline to the lowest valleys and even out along the streams into
the Plains country. In a single night a bear maj' pass through all
of the zones on one slope of the mountains and over the top and
down the other side without making an unusuallv long journey.
Often their tracks will be found following a trail for miles until they
branch off on some other trail that will be followed in turn for many
more miles.
An old brown bear with two cubs was seen lietween Belly River
and Waterton Lake on August 14, and a small black bear came to
our camp one night in the Waterton Valley and carried off a ham
from one of the pack sacks. At Lake INIcDonald late in August
an old bear and two large cubs were feeding at the garbage pile
back of Lewis's Hotel, but another bear that claimed some of the
garbage caused the mother much anxiety for the safety of her cubs,
and she kept chasing him away. Every time she charged the other
MAMMALS. 93
bear the cubs rushed up the nearest tree and remained until the
coast was clear and quiet again prevailed, when they would come
down and very cautiously approach the garbage ; but usually before
they reached the heap of tin cans another w-o-o-f of the mother in
pursuit of the stranger would again send them up the nearest tree.
The mother seemed anxious to have them get their share of the food,
and as soon as she had chased the intruder out of sight she would
come back to their tree and scratch on the trunk, when the young
would come down slowly and cautiously. During the half hour in
which we Vv^atched them they did not reach the food supply, but
probably succeeded in getting some of it later in the evening. A little
earlier there were said to be six bears at the garbage i^ile at one time,
including one brown, but some of them were not very tame and left
as soon as the tourists began to appear. The next day on the shore
of a little pond in the woods near Lake McDonald we heard a twig
snap and soon saw a medium-sized black bear feeding on the service-
berries only 20 or 30 yards away. He was so eager for the berries
that he did not notice us and went on eating the ripe, sweet fruit
hanging in luscious bunches from the bushes. He would stand up
straight on his hind feet and with both hands pull down branches
of the bushes and pick off the big purple berries with his lips and
tongue. After stripping one bush he waded into a small pond, across
which he swam and went off through the woods, making for a bear
an unusual amount of noise and crackling. He was probably one of
the garbage-pile bears which had lost some of his caution in finding
that man was after all a harmless animal.
The story of the food of these bears gives most of their life history.
The old droppings of early spring showed a ravenous appetite that
was oft^n appeased by dry grass, pine needles, bits of rotten wood,
and bark that had been gathered up with a few ant-s, beetles, and
larvae that served to fill up and furnish a little nutriment. An occa-
sional feast on the carcass of some animal that has died or has been
killed during the winter helps out at this time of year, and the left-
over supply of winter fat helps carry them through the early spring-
time. As soon as vegetation starts a great variety of green plants
are eaten, and as the frost leaves the warm slopes many roots and
bulbs are dug up for food. The great yellow-flowered western dog-
tooth violets grow in profusion throughout the Canadian and Hud-
sonian Zones, and as they begin to come up and blossom at the lower
levels the bears dig the tender starchy bulbs in great numbers for
food. As they blossom soon after the snow has disappeared, there
is a continuous zone of the flowers creeping up the sides of the moun-
tains from May at the lower levels to late in August near timberline.
In the latter half of July they were at their best in the Hudsonian
94 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIETl, NATIONAL PABK.
Zone, where acres of the brilhaut yellow lilies covered many of the
open slopes between the groves of wliite-barkecl pines. Here the
bears were reveling in a feast of the jnicy bulbs. Near (iranite Park,
in numerous places over the mountain sides, they had torn up the sod
in areas of a few yards to several square rods in extent, tearing it up
continuously from the edge and turning out the bulbs 4 or 5 inches
below the surface and rolling the sod back, first one way and then
another, until the ground had the appearance of having been plowed.
On both sides of Gunsight Pass, at the lower edge of Blackfeet Gla-
cier, on Flat Top Mountain, and at Elizabeth Lake extensile areas were
found plowed o\-er by the bears for these bulbs, each one of which, the
size of a small onion and much more palatable, would make a pleasant
mouthful.
Prolial)ly these liears obtain many other bulbs and roots and some
insects and larvae while digging for these bulbs. At times even
late in summer large quantities of green vegetation are eaten, as
shown by the sign, but the particular sjoecies of plants are not easily
recognized. The tender young flower stalks of the bear gi'ass (Xero-
phyllu7n tenax) are eaten to some extent, but as the blossoms begin to
develop they soon become tough and hard. Some of the white, ten-
der mountain thistles had been cut off, evidently by bears, and the
COM' parsnip {Ileracleum lanatum) had been eaten while young and
tender. On the west slope of the mountains and in Waterton Valley
many trees had been peeled near the base for the layer of sweet cam-
bium underneath the bark. A mouthful of bark had been bitten
loose near the ground and pulled off as high as it woidd strip from
the trunk of a tree, and then another and another until a consider-
able area of the trunk was left bare. In midsummer this growing
wood is covered with a layer of soft gelatinous tissue that later
hardens into the annual growth of wood, but at this time is sweet and
nutritious. "With the lower incisors the bears scrape the wood up-
ward and thus scoop into their mouths the soft cambium layer and
apparently get a good square meal from the trunk of a tree peeled
halfway around and as high as they can conveniently reach. Hun-
dreds of trees may be found tJiat have thus furnished nueals to the
bears. The lodgepole pine and P]ngelmnnn spruce were the species
usually choseji, but some white-barked pines had been peeled, and
on the west slope the tamarack (LarLv occidentnlls) seemed to fur-
nish the favorite bear food; even as late as the last of August it had
a pleasant flavor. Most of the trees, however, were peeled in mid-
smnmer, when the cambium was at its best. During August the bears
were feeding extensively on berries and fruit, of which they obtained
a considerable variet}'. The little red blueberries were scarce in
1017, but in places a few were found and stripped off. leaves and all,
to make them go as far as possible. The abundant little red bear-
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XIX.
Wild Animals Glacier Park,
PLATE XX,
FIG. 1.— OVERTURNED TURF WHERE BULBS OF DOG-TOOTH VIOLETS HAVE
BEEN DUG OUT BY BEARS NEAR GRANITE PARK, JULY 18, 1917.
FIG, 2.— BURROW AND NEST OF COLUMBIA GROUND SQUIRREL DUG OUT
BY BEARS NEAR GRANITE PARK.
MAMMALS. 95
berry {ArctostapJnilos iira-itrsi). which occurs in carpets over the
ground and is usually loaded with dry, mealy berries, is extensively
eaten, but the favorite food of the bears is the serviceberry {Amelan-
chwr alnifolia). which is especially abundant and prolific on the west
slope. Some berries of the mountain ash were sought for, but these
were onljr beginning to ripen the last of August. Thorn apples
{Cixitxpgus douglasi) furnish an abundance of sweet, purple fruit on
the west slope, and raspberries, thimbleberries, currants, and goose-
berries all contribute to the summer food.
Great numbers of the burrows of the little, fat ground squirrels
(Citellus coltunhianus) are excavated bj^ bears, and apparently the
occupants contribute an important article of food. A few of these
burrows are dug out during the summer, but probably more of them
late in fall after the squirrels have become very fat and hibernated
and after other bear food has become scarce. In the vicinity of
Granite Park I found dozens of these burrows that had been torn
open through the tough sod and stones, and even small trees were
thrown out in getting to the bottom of the burrow, where, 2 or 3
feet down, the soft grassy nest had been reached and its remains left
scattered about. As the squirrels hibernate at least a month before
the bears do, they evidently are a great help in enabling the bears to
lay in sufficient fat for their winter's store.
There is no evidence that the bears molest any large game, and
the scouts and old hunters and trappers say that they do not. As
they are great scavengers, and quickly locate dead animals, they are
trapped mainly by the use of meat bait. In this way great numbers
of game animals have been destroyed by trappers for bear bait, and
as late as June 22 I have found bear traps baited with freshly killed
deer and goats. Moose and elk have also suifered severely in this
way before the Glacier Park Avas created and put under proper
suiDervision.
As the establishment of Glacier Park was comparatively recent, the
bears have not yet gathered about hotel and camp garbage piles as they
do in Yellowstone Park, but they will soon learn, and under proper
management of the garbage they can be made a perfectly safe and
very attractive feature of the animal life of the park. A place for
the garbage might be selected in the open, close to the edge of the
woods, but where the bears can be plainly seen and readily photo-
grajohed, and where no one would accidentally come upon them un-
noticed at very close quarters ; then a tourist-proof fence could be
erected in a semicircle at a safe distance around the open side of the
garbage. This would not only allow the bears to have some peace
and quiet in which to enjoy their meals and enable the visitors to
watch them at reasonably close range, but would prevent interference
with the bears by the few foolhardy visitors who do not realiza that
96 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PAEK.
a bear, while a most respectful and dignified animal, has not un-
limited patience and is capable of resenting with fatal results any
undue familiarity. Only those who are familiar with them through-
out the season should be allowed to feed or take any liberties with
them.
Grizzly Bear; Silvertip: TJrsus horrililis imperator?^ Mer-
riam. — During the summer of 1917 a few grizzly bears were re-
ported in the less frequented areas of the park, and a few are said
to have been killed around the edges each year. They are very shy
and few have learned to come to the hotel garbage piles. One visited
our camp at the Eeynolds Cabin, in the Upper Waterton Valley, one
night in August, but quickly left when he found the cabin occupied,
and the cook and guide were the only ones to get a glimpse of him.
In the spring of 189.") they were the commonest bears in the St. Mary
Lake region, and their great tracks were seen on the snow along the
trails every time we climbed the mountains. One day in May, 1895,
as Howell and I came down the mountain we saw one splendid silvery
gray fellow in a little park close to the edge of the thick timber. He
was evidently digging bulbs or hunting for mice or insects, but was
too far away for our short-range guns, and our shots only sent him
quickly into the woods. On June 3, as Hank Norris and I were
watching a drove of white goats on the side of Going-to-the-Sun
Mountain, we saw an old bear and small cub going down across the
glacier into the bottom of the valley. "\Ye quietly slid down the side
of the mountain and tried to head her off as she made for a piece of
timber below, but seeing or hearing us she turned up the opposite
slope and beat us to the top of the range by nearly a mile. We sat
on the snow and watched her and her cub climb the slope and dis-
appear over the crest of the ridge. The cul) was about the size of a
raccoon and could not travel very fast, but the old bear kept only
a little ahead of him and anxiously coaxed him along as fast as pos-
sible, looking back and encouraging him to follow her at the best
speed he could make. The track made by the hind foot of this old
bear measured 6 inches across the ball of the foot and 11 inches long
where it made the full print in the snow.
As we returned clown the canyon between Going-to-the-Sun and
Goat Mountains we found where a still larger bear had followed the
' At Ipast two and probably three species of grizzly bears occur in the filacier Park
region, as even the trappers have long recognized. Donald Stevenson, who lived (or
many years on Swiftcurrent Creels and trapped and hunted In the region before it
was a park, tells mo that some are nearly black in color, with white tips to the hairs
of the face and sides ; some are a rusty brown ; and others a golden yellow along the
sides. Sufficient skulls have not boon obtained to determine satisfactorily the spe-
cies occupying the region, and there are still fewer skins to go with these skulls to show
which color pattern belongs to each of the different species. The habit notes are also
generalized under one heading, so that it is impossible to separate them or tell whether
the range and habits of the different forms vary as do the cranial and external char-
acters.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XXI
Photo, by M. P. Skinner. bioo6m
GRIZZLY BEARS IN YELLOWSTONE PARK NEAR CANYON HOTEL.
MAMMALS. 97
track of a white goat across the snow bank until he struck tlie trail
■\ve had made in going up the canyon four hours earlier. He had
left the goat track and followed our trail, but in the wrong direc-
tion — down the mountain instead of up — so we did not see him. A
few days later while on Flat Top Mountain I found where an old
grizzlj' and two cubs had been eating a mountain sheep up near
timberline. The tracks were not a da}' old, and the sheep had been
entirely eaten, except a few pieces of skin and bits of bone. While
the snow was bloody and much trampled, there was no indication
that the sheep had been killed by these bears. More probalily it had
been shot by hunters or killed and partly eaten by mountain lions
or wolves and then finished b}^ the bears, which could not well have
caught an able-bodied mountain sheep on its own rocky slopes or
on deep, well-crusted snow. Throughout the forest in this region the
bear tracks, beds, and signs were abundant at the lower levels. ISIost
of the sign was composed of the remains of various green j^ilants.
Near timberline on the warm slope of Flat Top Mountain the cones
under the white-barked ])ine trees had been chewed up as though )\y
hogs. This was undoubtedly the work of bears in shelling out the
pine seeds or nuts, of which they are especially fond. It was evi-
dently done during the previous fall while the squirrels were getting
the cones for their winter stores.
From the early eighties to the time when Glacier Park was created,
in 1910, this was one of the most popular regions for hunting grizzly
bears in the whole United States, and many were killed each j^ear
by sportsmen, and others M-ere caught by the numerous trappers of
the region. In ISO;") I found lines of bear traps between Summit and
Belton up to late in June. Even then some of the trap]:>ers who were
thoroughly familiar with the methods of killing large game for bear
bait considered bear trapping the greatest menace to the game of
that region. Traps were baited with mountain sheep, goats, and
deer, and I was told that at least 500 elk and moose were killed every
year for bear bait. Most of the trapping was done in spring, when
the bears first came out of hibernation and the fur was at its longest
and best. As they enter their dens for the wdnter hibernation with
the first cold weather and deep snows, usually in late Octolier or
early November, and do not reappear until early in April, the time
for securing their skins in prime condition is short at either end
of the season.
Order INSECTIVORA: Insect Eaters.
Family SORICID-gE: Shrews.
Water Shrew: Neosorex narir/afor navif/ator Baird. — The large,
long-tailed, velvety, black-backed and white-bellied water shrews are
98 O/^f^f^^JS^^^^'^^t^^ NATIOKAL PARK.
the largest of their fam'ilj' m 1:.he Eocky Mountain region. Adults
measure, in millimeters : Total length, about 148 ; tail, 71 ; hind foot,
20 or 21. With their long, flexible noses, minute eyes, and incon-
sj^ieuous ears they are typical of this family of insect eaters; but,
unlike the other members, they are highly specialized for life in the
water. The hind feet are large, with fringed margins for swinuning,
and the long tail is evidently useful as a rudder. They are probably
common and generally distributed over the park, as well as north
and south and west of it. In 189.5 specimens wore taken at St. Mary
Lake and along the railroad between Paola and Nyack, all in the
vicinity of creeks, springs, or ponds in the Canadian Zone. The
shrews are not often seen except when caught in traps, but on rare
occasions one may be seen darting about in the water, over the sur-
face or underneath, in search of its preJ^ as much at home as a seal or
otter. They are less often seen on land, as thej keep mainl}' under
cover of logs, banks, or fallen vegetation, where they hunt for insects
and any small animal life that conies in their way as food. Usually
they are found not far from water and on wet ground or luider damp
logs or banks. Their stomachs are generally full of the finely chewed-
up remains of insects and miidentifiable particles of small animals,
and any kind of meat used as trap bait is eagerly taken. If a mouse
has been caught in the trap before a shrew comes along, it is invari-
ably partly, and sometimes wholly, eaten, and the shrew is generally
caught if the trap is reset in the same place.
There has been much speculation as to whether the shrews catch
small fish and eat fish eggs, and while there seems to be no positive
evidence on the subject, they would doubtless do so if opportunity
offered. Their skill and quickness in the water would certainly
enable them to catch minnows and small fish, but fortunately they
are not sufficiently abundant to do any serious harm. Any oppor-
tunity to study their habits in life should be followed up with great
care, as the subject is one of importance as well as of general interest.
Dusky Shrew : Sorex obscurus obscurus Merriam. — These little
dusky brown shrews, while only 110 to 115 millimeters in total
length, with tail about 45 and hind foot 13, are the largest and ap-
parently the commonest of the three species of little shrews occur-
ring in the park. At St. Mary Lake, Howell and I caught nine speci-
mens in May and June, 1895, and in 1917 I collected specimens in the
park at Many Glacier and at AVall Lake, British Columbia, close to the
northern line. They are generally caught in traps set for other mice
under logs or rocks, or in holes, creek banks, and runways through
the meadow grass. Tiny roadways are found under the surface layer
of leaves and fallen vegetation, where the shrews run through their
covered galleries from burrow to burrow or follow the trails of
meadow mice and other species through the grass and weeds. They
^^o^f^
MAMMALS.
are active both night and clay and probably de^Dend more on the
sense of touch in the long flexible nose than on the vision of minute
and almost invisible eyes. In pursuit of insect and other small forms
of animal life, Avhich constitute most of their food, they are ener-
getic hunters, and are eager for any kind of meat that may be used
for trap bait, never failing to tear and eat other mice that are caught
in traps. To what extent they kill the young or adults of other mice
is not known, but they are savage little animals, perfectljr capable of
killing rodents much larger than themselves.
An old female collected at St. Mary Lake on June 1 contained
eight small embrj^os, but this was probably an vniusually large num-
ber, as her mammae were onlj' six, arranged in three pairs close
together. Apparently none of the shrews become fat or hibernate
in winter, and their tiny tracks may often be seen over the surface of
soft snow, into which they burrow and push their way from top to
bottom with perfect freedom. They are as easily caught in winter as
in summer, and a piece of frozen
meat placed under a log in the
woods for a few days will gen-
erally attract several shrews that
eagerlj' gather to gnaw at it.
Against cold and wet their dense
fur seems to be at all times ample
protection. While so tiny, they
are vigorous and powerful animals
for their size, with many inter-
esting habits not well known or ^^^^ ^^_^^ j^ ^^^i^^ ^i^^^^. ,,,„ 2,
Vmderstood. masked shrew. (Photographed from
alcoholic specimens.)
DoBSON SiiKEW : Sorex vagrans
dobsoni Merriam. — These little brown shrews are scarcely distin-
guishable in the field from the dusky shrew, with which they are
often found. "Wliile the teeth and skulls show well-marked char-
acters, the size and color are so similar that a critical examination
of the skulls is necessary to tell them apart. For this reason the
habits of the two as collected in the field are rarely distinguished,
and it is doubtful if they differ to any great extent, as all small
shrews seem to be rather similar in habits. Two specimens collected
at Summit Station in June, 1895, measured in millimeters: Total
length, 110, 115 ; tail, 41, 45 ; hind foot, 13, 14. Another collected by
Howell near Nj^ack measured : Total length, 108 ; tail, 44 ; hind foot,
14. These were caught in the woods under logs, fallen grass, and the
drooping leaves of bear grass (Xerophi/Ihim tenaiv). Those at Sum-
mit Station were on the north side of the railroad, actually within
the present boundaries of the park; while the one near Nj^ack was
taken on the opposite bank of the river just outside the park.
-v:^'
-f^^,
100
WILD ANIMALS OP GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
Masked Siieew: Sorex personatus I. Geoffroy St. Hilaire. — These
are the smallest shrews in the park, adult specimens measuring in
millimeters: Total length, approximately 100; tail, 10; hind foot,
12. In color they are plain sepia brown, slightly paler below,
and •^'ery similar to both the dusky and the Dobson shrews in sum-
mer pelage. Their small size, however, usually serves to identify
them in the field, but their habits apparently do- not differ much
from those of the other two species. In 1895 Howell and I col-
lected three specimens at St. JMary Lake on the same ground with a
larger series of the dusky shrew, and no difference in the habits of
the two could be discovered. Another specimen collected at Mc-
Donald Lake and others in country surrounding the park would
indicate a distribution over the whole park area in suitable situa-
tions. Generally they are forest dwellers, but may be found in
meadows or along the streams and out in the prairie and Plains
country, and while so ininute as rarely to be noticed, they are prob-
ably much more common than is generally supposed.
Order CHIROPTERA: Winged Mammals.
Family VESPERTILIONID^: Bats.
Long-legged Bat: Myotis lucifugus longicrus (True). — A small
quick-flying brownish bat seen commonly about the hotel at Lake
McDonald on still evenings in August was probably of this species,
which Howell and I
found abundant a t
Flathead Lake in 1895
and of which we col-
lected a large series of
specimens. Xone were
collected in the park,
as they were seen only
while flying about the
hotels. Evidently they
had made their homes
in dark corners and
crevices of the build-
ings, from which they
emerged at dusk to
begin their evening
flight in pursuit of winged insects. They circled rapidly about
the buildings, under the piazzas, and occasionally through the open
doors, and were seen also along the lake shore where they often
dipped down to the surface of the water to drink. Thev are so
strictly nocturnal that it is difficult to secure specimens, except by
IS. — No. 1, brown bat ; No. 2, long-k'gged
(Pliotographed from Diuseum specimens.)
MAMMALS. 101
shooting them on the wing when tliey first come out of tlieir diurnal
liiding places, and usually the light is so dim when they first appear
that wing shooting is rendered difficult, and in most cases considerable
ammunition is wasted for the few specimens secured. Occasionally
one is caught in a room at night, or a hiding place is found where they
juay be secured from a crack or crevice as they hang head downward
during the day. Specimens of these or any other bats in the park
should be saved whenever possible, as it will be long before sufficient
material is obtained to show all of the species inhabiting the area.
Bkown Bat: Epfesicus f uncus fuscus (Beauvois). — Large, brown,
rapid-flying bats seen of evenings about the Many Glacier Hotel in
mid-July were apparently of this species, but no specimens were ob-
tained, owing to the danger in shooting around occui:)ied buildings.
Those seen were flying rapidly about the buildings and along the lake
shore at earlj' dusk, while it was still light enough to see color and to
have easily secured them on the wing with a shotgun if shooting had
been permissible. Evidently thej' are not very common in the park, as
none were seen in other locations away from buildings, although the
species often lives in hollow trees or under bark in the woods as well
as in the dark spaces under eaves and cornices of buildings. They
undoubtedly range over most of the park areas, but are rarely seen
except near where they spend the day and as they first come out of
their roosting places.
Silver-haired Bat. Lasionycteris noctivar/ans (LeConte). — A
number of medium-sized very dark and rapid-flying bats seen over
the hotel and among the trees at Lake McDonald, August 29, were
evidently of this species. The silvery tipping of the black fur over
the back could not be seen with the bats on the Aving, but the size,
rapid flight, and dark color are almost unmistakable characters with
this species. The dense forests of the park present ideal conditions
for these boreal, forest-loving bats, the loose bark on numerous dead
trees affording favorite places in which to spend the daylight hours,
and the forest-dwelling insects, their favorite food. I tore the bark
from many old trees in the woods in the hope of securing specimens
from underneath, but was not successful Avithin the park area. If
possible, specimens should be secured and preserved in order that
l^ositive records for the park may be obtained, as flight identification
of bats is at best unsatisfactory.
HoartBat: Nj/ctnis cinerea (Beauvois). — At Waterton Lake. near
the north end of the park, at 11 o'clock in the morning of August 15,
one of these big gray, short-eared bats was seen flying about in the
bright sunlight over the vrater and back into the trees on the shore of
the lake. It was watched for several minutes with the field glass and at
such close range that, with its every mark and character plainly recog-
51140°— IS 9
102 WILD ANIMALS OF (iLAClER NATIONAL PAEK.
nized, its identitication ayus as unmistakable as if tlie specimen had
been collected and preserved. While it flew freely and seemed perfectly
at home in the bright light, it probably had been driven from its roost
among the leaves of some cottonwood tree on the shore by the campers
along the lake. These bats have rather large eyes, and their evening
flight begins usually a little earlier in the dusk than that of most
bats, l)ut the habit of flying in broad daylight is certainly not com-
mon with them and probably means that they ha^"e been disturbed
in their roosting places. Usuallj' during the day they hang head
downward in some dense cluster of leaves where well concealed, but
where the light is not wholly excluded, as in the hiding places of
most of our northern bats. While never abundant, they are a wide-
ranging boreal species, breeding usually in the Canadian Zone and
migrating southward in winter over practically the whole United
States.
THE BIRDS.
By Flokence Merriam Bailey.
INTRODUCTORY.
I. ITINEKAEY AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
The material for the basis of tlie accompanying report on the birds
of Ghicier Park was obtained during July and August, 1!J17, when in
addition to the automobile trips from Glacier l*ark Hotel to Two
IMedicine, St. Mary, and Many Glaciers, and short trips to Grinnell
Lake, Iceberg Lake, and Granite Park, a month's pack trip was
made to the Canadian boundary and return. Starting from Going-
to-the-Sun Gamp ive went to Lake Ellen Wilson, and by way of
Piegan Pass to Many Glaciers and the Swiftcurrcnt Plats; thence
northward through the Kennedy Creek and Belly Eiver regions —
visiting Crossley and Glenn Lakes — to the Lower Waterton Lake
in Alberta. P'rom Waterton Lake a side trip was made to the Bound-
ary Mountains in British Columbia overlooking the Kiiitla Lake
region, after which we returned by way of the Waterton Valley and
the Kootenai Trail to Granite l*ark and Many Glaciers. A railroad
trip to Belton and a week at Lake McDonald completed the season's
work.
In the two months a general idea as to the breeding birds of the
region was obtained. But additional material regarding the spring
and fall migrants and winter residents has been procured from Dr.
George Bird Grinnelhs article entitled " Some Autunni Birds of the
St. ^Mary Lakes Region," published in Forest and Stream in 1888;
a manuscript report kindly submitted to me by Mr. A. H. Pliggin-
son, of Boston, on the winter birds of Stanton Lake — just outside the
park — and notes from park officials and taxidermists of the region,
who have supplemented my meager field experience by knowledge
gained during years of I'esidence in the park. Reports from Messrs.
Vernon Bailey and Arthur H. Howell, from St. Mary Lake, and from
Blackfoot to Belton in 1895, and from Mr. Bailey, from Belton to
Kintla Lake, and from Lake McDonald in April, 1918, have been
103
104 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
examined in the files of the Bureau of Biohjgical Survey, and lists
of birds observed during short visits to the park have been kindly
turned over to me by Mr. Harold C. Bryant, of California, and IMr.
Edward K. Warren, of Colorado. To these gentlemen, as to Mr.
E. S. Bryant, taxidermist, of Columbia Falls; Mr. Walter Scott
Gibb, assistant chief ranger of the park; Mr. William C. Gird, park
guide; Mr. Harry P. Stanford, taxidermist, of Kalispell; and Mr.
Donald H. Stevenson, formerly a park guide, I would extend my
sincere thanks for much valuable information. Records of a hundred
and eighty-seven species have been olitained altogether, but many
more doubtless remain to be discovered by future workers in the park.
The illustrations are from photographs by Messrs. Vernon Bailey,
A. C. Bent. E. J. Cameron, J. E. Haynes. H. W. Nash, H. & E.
Pittman, Eobert B. Rockwell, J. EoAvley, Hon. George Shiras, 3d,
and Mr. E. R. Warren; and drawings by Maj. Allan Brooks and
by Messrs. Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Bruce Horsfall, John L. Eidgway,
Robert Ridgway, and Ernest Thompson Seton; and in the main
have appeared previously in the publications of the Bureau of Bio-
logical Survey, U. S. Department of xVgriculture, and the National
Association of Audubon Societies; in Bird-Lore; and the Handbook
of Birds of the Western States, published by the Houghton Mifflin
Company.
The classification and nomenclature used in the report are those of
the 1910 Check List of the American Ornithologists'' Union, the Six-
teenth Supplement, and the proposed changes in The Auk, up to
April, 1918.
II. WHERE THE SUMMER BIRDS MAY BE EOXJND.
The park with its heavy forest cover and its snow banks and glaciers
would seem an unlikely place for birds to spend the summer, as few
species care for either deep forests or snow-clad mountains; but
while general conditions limit the abundance of birds found within
the boundaries of the park, certain local conditions increase their
numbers, so that by knowing where to look one may find a richly
varied bird population. While birds breed within fairly definite
boundaries governed by temperature during the breeding season,
many of them wander widely afterwards, and in the late summer
may be encountered almost anywhere in the park.
BIEDS OF THE LOWEU LEVELS.
Around the warm outer margins of the park — in the Lake Mc-
Donald and the North Fork of the Flathead regions on the west,
and the St. Mary, Sherburne Lake, and Belly River regions on the
east — islands and tongues of Transition Zone prairie together witli
swampy meadows, sloughs, and large lakes affording more or less
BIRDS. 105
marshy cover introduce an element that brings in a variety of birds,
however rare or meager in numbers, birds that outside the park
breed on the adjoining plains among the lakes and ranches.
Notable among these, including some for which there are no
definite breeding records, are the western grebe, Holboell grebe, eared
grebe, merganser, red-breasted merganser, hooded merganser, mal-
lard, gadwall, green-winged teal, ring-necked duck, bufHe-head,
ruddy duck, bittern, great blue heron,^ sora rail, coot, upland plover,
killdeer, shai*p-tailed grouse, mourning dove, turkey vulture, marsh
hawk, Swainson hawk, ferruginous rough-leg, prairie falcon, short-
eared owl, Acadian owl, Batchelder downy woodpecker, red-headed
woodpecker, nighthawk, magpie, crow, raven, cowbird, thick-billed
redwing, western meadowlark. Brewer blackbird, western vesper
sparrow, western Savannah sparrow, song sparrow, black-headed
grosbeak, lazuli bunting, cedar waxwing, yellow warbler, western yel-
low-throat, redstart, catbird, western house wren. Rocky Mountain
nuthatch, long-tailed chickadee, and willow thrush ; while on remote
wooded lakes, especially on the west side of the park, the shy soli-
tary loon is sometimes found.
While by no means all of these birds will be seen by the hurried
tourist, as some of the hotels and chalets are too high for them, and
the generally frequented trails follow through the deep forest or over
the rocky passes, it is interesting to know of the presence of these
lowlanders, and the fact that the birds of the park range from such
familiar friends as the catbird, kingbird, and red-headed woodpecker
of the low country in Transition Zone to the unfamiliar ptarmigan,
leucosticte, and pipit of the Arctic-Alpine slopes above timberline
affords an interesting and striking illustration of the vertical vari-
ation of the park faima.
BIRDS OF THE MIDDLE REGIONS.
The characteristic birds of the warm low Transition Zone levels of
the park, which are associated with the silver leaf, service berry, wild
rose, D'ouglas spruce, and yellow pine, drop out in the middle or
Canadian Zone regions of the park, leaving only the species which
thrive in both the lower and middle regions or are characteristic of
the colder, higher regions of the Canadian, where they are associated
with willows and alders, shrubby birch, smooth Menziesia, honey-
suckle and blueberry bushes, lodgepole pines, and the firs and spruces
of pure Canadian Zone.
The centers of bird life here are the lakes and streams with their
bordering willow and alder thickets, together with the burned-over
brushy slopes. Flying over the rivers and lakes, fish hawks and swal-
1 In former years, sandhill crane.
106 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
lows— either the tree, the cliff, the bank, or the northern violet-
n-reeii — may occasionally he seen. Even on the most frequented lakes
numerous broods of golden-eye ducks may be found, and on the
less frequented lakes the rare harle(|uin may sometimes be seen al-
though it prefers rapid rivers and streams to the quieter waters. On
lakes where safe secluded nesting sites are to be had the Canada goose
may jierhaps be discovered. Along the lake shores the spotted sand-
piper, CJrinnell water-thrush, and now and then the kingfisher and
water ouzel may be noted, although both kingfisher and ouzel are
more generally seen along rivers and streams, the ouzel especially
near waterfalls or cascades.
On the brushy slopes above the lakes where the forest cover has been
replaced by chaparral, among other birds may be found slate-
colored fox sparrows, white-crowned and chipping sparrows, juncos,
Swainson vireos, Audubon and Macgillivray warblers, and some of
the smaller flycatchers, such as the western and Traill.
In the open a variety of hawks — the sparrow hawk, sharp-shinned.
Cooper, and goshawk — may be noted, and now and then among the
cliff's and canyons a golden eagle may be descried. On rare occa-
sions a western nighthawk, a swift — the black, Vaux or possibly the
white-throated — or a hummingbird — generally the rufous but possi-
bly the calliope, black-chinned or broad-tailed — may be caught sight
of in passing.
Inside the forest three species of grouse — the Richardson, Frank-
lin, and ruffed — may be flushed, while the close in\estigator or the
camper may be fortunate enough to discover some of the resident
owls, including the MacFarlane screech owl, the western and dusky
horned owls, the rai'e hawk owl, and the Eocky Mountain pygmy.
A uumljer of woodpeckers are also to be closely watched for. among
them the Eocky Mountain hairy, Arctic three-toed, Alaska three-toed,
red-naped sapsncker, Williamson sapsucker, northern pileated. and
the red-shafted flicker. Among other birds that may be seen are the
black-headed jay, western evening grosbeak, Montana junco, western
tanager, western winter wren, Eocky Mountain creeper, red-breasted
nuthatch, mountain chickadee, chestnut-backed chickadee, western
golden-crowned kinglet, Townsend solitaire, olive-backed thrush,
Audubon hermit thrush, northern varied thrush, and mountain blue-
bird.
BIRDS OF THE IIKJTIKR REGIONS.
In the narrow timberline or Hudsonian Zone where the white-
barked pine is the dominant tree, there are relatively few character-
istic birds. Among them are the Eocky Mountain jay, Clark crow,
Eocky Mountain pine grosbeak, Cassin purple finch, crossbill, pine
BIRDS, 107
siskin, and Bohemian waxwinji'; Avhile above tinibcrline the ninnlier
of characteristic sunnner birds is reduced to three — the white-tailed
ptarmigan, gray-crowned leucosticte, and pipit.
III. PERMANENT RESIDENTS AND TRANSIENT VISITANTS.
While most of the birds found in the park in summer are merely
summer visitants, coming north in the spring to nest and returning
south in the fall to v^'inter, there are some permanent residents, such
as the grouse, some of the hawks, owls, and woodpeckers, together
with the jays, water ouzels, nuthatches, and chickadees, which pre-
sumably never leave the park. Similarly, the birds found in the park
in winter may be either i:)ermanent residents or winter visitants from
farther north, such as the snowy owl, great gray owl, redpoll, snow-
Hake, Lapland longspur. Bohemian waxwing, and northern shrike,
which come south during the fall or winter and return north on the
approach of spring. In still another category come the spring and
fall visitants, which merely pass through the park on their north-
ward and southward migrations, as some of the ducks, snow geese,
swans, phalaropes, snipe, and doubtless man3r of the smaller birds,
overlooked or unrecognized by casual observers.
IV. KEY TO THE COMMONER SUMMER BIRDS.
[ c? male; 9 female.]
WATER BIRDS.
SIZE OF .V GOOSE.
I. Body gray, head and neck l)laek, with white throat patch
Caiiadii GooKe, p. 106.
I'. Body black and white, neck streal-ced witli wliite Loon, p. 113.
vSlZK OF A DUCK.
Head parthi or tchoUij green.
I. Head wholly dark green.
2. Bill narrow, underparts wholly white or pale salmon
Merganser, $ , p. 11,5.
2'. Bill wide, underparts brown and white or lirown and gray.
3. Bill spoon-shaped, breast white, belly reddish brown
HhoreUer, $, p. 119.
3'. Bill not spoon-shaped, brea.st brown, belly gray
Mallard, $ . p. 117,
I', Head partly green,
2. Head dark green with white spot at base of bill
narrow Golden-eye. $, p, 122.
2', Head brown with green stripe ou siCLH--Green-i.vinged Teal, 3, p, 118,
108 WILD \XII\rALR OF (II.ACTER NATIONAL PARK.
Iliiiil rcddUh, bi'oirn, of gray.
I. Head reddisli or dark l)rown.
2. Head reddish, crested; bill Ions and narrow Merganser, $, p. ]l."j.
2'. Head dull brown, bill short and wide.
3. Head piilTy, unmarked, collar white
Barroio GoUlcn-ei/e, ?, j). 122.
3'. Head not jiuffy, side of head with tliree wliite spots
Western Jlarlequin Diul:. 5, ]i. 124.
I'. Head not reddish or dark brown,
2. I'Uinia,;;e plain sray, or sra.v, strilcinsly marlced with white and brown.
3. I'hnna^e phiin sooty .yra.v, head black, bill wliite Coo/, p. 132.
3'. I'limui.u'e strikin.^ly marked with wliite and brown
Western Hdrleniiiii Duet;, i , p. 124.
2'. l'luma,se brown, flnelj' streaked and spotted.
3. AVing patcli mainly lii;ht blue or bright fcreen.
4. Wins patch mainly li.nlit blue, hill spoon-shaped, size
large Khrjvetter, 5, p. 119.
4'. Win}; jiatch mainly bright green; bill not spoon-shaped;
size small Green-iringed Teat, 9, p. US.
S'. Wing patches brown and white or purple and white.
4. AViiig ])atches brown and white Gadwatl, p. US.
4'. Wing patch purple, inclosed by white bars
Matlard, 9. p. 117.
SMALLEK THAN A DT'CK (7-11 INCHKS),
I. Breast white, spotted or banded.
2. Breast and back spotted, tail habitually tipped
Sli(]tted f^andpiper. p. 133.
2'. Breast crossed with two Idack bands, tail not habitually tipped
KiUdeer. p. 134.
I'. Breast bluish gray, face and front of neck black Sora 7?m7, p. 131.
LAND BIED8.
SIZE OF GEOT-SE OK I.AEGER.
I. Spread wings .5^-71 feet.
2. Spread \yings about 5J feet; head and underparts white
Fish Haifl-.p. 150.
2'. Spread wings about 6-J-7J feet; liead and body brown
Golden Eagle, p. 148.
I'. Spread wings much less than .5i feet.
2. Largel.v brown or sooty gray.
3. Brown, barred ; head crested, neck ruffed, tail banded
Ruffed Grouse, p. 137.
3'. Sooty gray, mottled; without ruffs or tail bands
Richardson Grouse, p. 135.
2'. Largely blad^ and white.
3. Wings and tail white; timberline slopes
Wliite-taited Ptarmigan, p. i:',!).
3'. Wings and tail black, marked with wliite; forests
Franklin Grouse, p. 136.
BIRDS. 109
SIZE BETWEEN A HOUIM AXll A GJIOL'SE.
LarycJij blue, broicn, sooti/, or ».s7( iinnj.
I. l^argely liluish, or reddish brown liarred with hlacl^.
2. Upiierparts partly or mainly bluisU. head crested, bill long.
3. AVings and tail dull blue, spotted with white ; lakes and stream-^
Belted Kint/fislier, ]). LIT.
3'. AVings and tail purplish blue, ))arred witli black; forests
Black-lieaded Jin/, p. 105.
2'. Upperparts brown, or blue and brown, head not crested, bill hooke<l ;
over open tields Desert ^piirrow Hawk, p. 149.
r. I^argely brown or gray.
2. Body brown, rump white, wings and tail reil below
Red-sliaftcd Flieker, p. 101.
2'. Body gray, forehead white.
3. Body dark gray, back of neck with dark patch
h'oekii Mountain ■lini, p. 100.
3'. Body ash gray, wiugs and tail bl.ick and white
Clark Xuteraeker, p. 107.
SIZE or A r.oBiN.
I. T'nderparts bright rusty brown ; lireast with blackish necklace
Northern Viirud Thnixli. p. 197.
I'. Underiiarts reddish brown: breast witliiuit necklace ^Ventern Robin, p. 190.
SIZE SMALLER THAN A KOEIN (ADULT MALES ') .
Partly yellow, contrasted uitli slaty, hlaelc, or broicn.
I. Undei'parts partly or wholly yellow or greenish yellow.
2, Underparts yellow and slaty, or yello^^•, lilaek, and white.
3. Underparts yellow- and slaty, head slaty ; bushes
MdcgiUivray Warbler, p. ISO.
3'. Underparts wliite, yellow, and black; throat, crown patch, and
rump yellow; trees Audubon Warbler, p. 1S3.
2'. Underparts plain yellow or greenish yellow.
3. Underparts yellow, face with black mask; bushes
Western Yclloir-tliroat, p. ISO.
3'. Uudei'iiarts yellow, wings and tail black; fore.sts
Western Erening (Iro.'ibeak. p. 171.
I'. Underparts witliout yellow.
2. Body black and white, crown with yellow- patch ; forests
Alaska Tlirec-toed Woodpeeker, p. li^S.
2', Body brown, streaked; wings and tail w-ith yellow patches; cone-laden
tree tops Pine Siskin, p. 174.
Partly or mainhi broicn, gray, or blue.
I. Partly or mainly brown or gray.
2. Partly or mainly brow-n.
3. Mainly brow-n.
4. Barred with black.
.5. Tail very short : forests
Western Winter Wren, p. 191.
5'. Tail normal ; open woods
Western House Wren, p. 191.
' The females of striltingly coloreJ birds are usually duller or without color patches.
110 WILD ANIMALS OP GLACIER NATIOXAL PARK.
i'. Ni.t liaiTcil with black; gorget fire red, orange, and lirassy
^•l■^.|.n Itiifoiix JliiiiiiiiiiKjhinl, ii. 103.
3'. Pari l.v lirown.
4. Crown conspii'uon.^ly marked.
5. Crown striped with Idack and wliite
M'liitc-croirnrd ^jiarroti:, ji. 177.
r/ . Ci-ciwn i-eddish |jr(jwn
]\'('>ilrni Cliiiijiiiiij SiJiirroir. ]]. 177,
4'. Crown not conspicuously marked.
!">. T'pper])urts Ijrown. indistinctly streaked: outer
tail f'eatliers partly white; tail wag.ged ; timber-
line shijies I'iliit. p. 187,
r,'. I'lijierparts pUiin brown and shity ; rusty on wings
and tail ; bushes, near water
SIntr-colorcd Fox Hpurroio, p. 178.
2'. Partly or mainly gray,
3, Mainly slate gray or slate gray and white,
4. Mainly slate gray, tail short ; streams and waterfalls
H7(rrrOH.:c/. p. ISS.
4'. Head, neck, and chest slate gray ; lielly and outer tail
featliers white MDninna .Juhco, p. 177.
3'. P>ack gray; cap and throat black; cheeks white.
4. Cap Willi wliite line over eye; forests
Mountain Chickadee, p, 193,
4', Cap without wliite line over eye; valley bottoms
Lonfi-tailed Chickadee, p, 193,
I'. Pai-tly or mainly blue,
2. Upperparts grayisli lilue, marked with black and white; tail short;
forests Rocky ilountaiii Nntltatch. p, 192,
2', Upperparts light blue or greenish blue, unmarked; tail normal; in
the open Mountain Bluebird, p. 198,
riirtlii or irlioHii (jrecn or reddish.
I. T'pperparts greenish.
2. Crown red, or black, yellow, and orange.
3. CroMii red Rulni-croirncd Kinjilrt. p. 194.
3'. Crown black, yellow, and orange
Wcxtirn <fold(n-croir)ird Kiniiict, p. 194.
2'. Crown gray, bordered \ty white below
^Yes1crn Warlilinn Mrco. p. 183,
I', P.ody dull reddish or pinkish,
2. Mandibles crossed; bead and back uniform r/'0.S'.'<;))7?, p, 173,
2', Mandibles not crossed ; head with squarish crimson patch
Cassin Purple, p, 172,
Order PYGOPODES: Diving Birds.
Family COLYMBID.a;: Grebes.
Western Grebe : .-Echmophorus occidenfaUs. — The snowy-throated
western grebe or swan grebe, the hirgest and most distinguished
of all the family, should be watched for carefully in the park.
as there are several records of its occurrence. One taken on the
BIRDS.
Ill
North Fork of the Fhithead is to be seen at Lewis's Hotel, and Mr.
F. F. Liebig, of Kalispcll, has one that came from Lalte INIcDonald
before the pai'lc was esta)ibslu'(L It lias lieen seen in simihir country
close to the park, and one of its floating nests has been found by
Mr. Donald H. Stevenson inside the park.
When the grebes nest, as they nsually do, in colonies in the tides,
after the nesting season they assemble in large companies about good
feeding grounds, where thej' disport themselves with so nuich vivacity
and originality that they supply ready entertainment for many a
summer day. Their presence may be recognized by their loud, dis-
tinctive l;a-ree' , I'ct-rec' , and its variations which carrj^ far over the
water. Or, they may be picked ont from a flock of quiet phlegmatic
ducks lying on the water by their quick motions, slender necks, and
rapid disappearances and reappearances ; for like all grebes they are
rapid, expert divers. They also have the grebe habit of lying on one
side, showing the silvery and all too famous grebe breast. Across
the width of a laJ^e, mirror-
like flashes from the breast
■should be watched for, as
also short white lines on
the surface of the water,
for the long swan-like necks
seen at a distance suggest
short, white sticks vanish-
ing and reappearing so
rapidly that it is difiicultto
keep track of them. But if
you would see these charming birds at their best, get near enough to
watch their dextrous work and their delightful individual play.
FIoLBCELL Grebe : Colymhus IioIh(elIi. — While we saw the Holbcell
onlj' on the lower Waterton Lake in Alberta during the summer,
it has been found by Mr. Bryant on Lake McDonald, and on April
22, 1918, two were seen by Mr. Bailey, " one at the upper end of the
lake in quiet water and one out in the middle of the lake where big
waves were rolling higher than its head ; " so another rare possibility
is open to observers on that lake rich in opportunities.
Next to the western gi'ebe in size and striking appearance the
Holboell has a rather heavy red neck and a white throat patch that
give it a certain stolidity of appearance when compared with the
swan grebe; but while it may lack vivacity and grace, like all the
grebes it is a master of its trade and a study of an old mother diving
for water weeds for her young, and leading them along safe and
pleasant shores will afford many enjoyable hours.
From Handbook of Birds of the Western United States.
Fig. 19. — Western grebe.
112 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PAKIi.
Horned CJeebe : C'ohjml>ii!< aurilus. — On a pond above the Swiftcur-
rent Lakes, only a short distance from Many Glaciers, Mr. Steven-
son Avas fortnnate enongh to discover the floating nest and eggs of
the sprightly little horned grebe, whose reddish neck, pnify side
crests, and bright red eyes, almost " perched on
its bill," as he says, make it a striking, cocky
figure. Sometimes when diving it gets so wet
that all its distinctive plumes are lost sight of
and only the red neck is left to tell the tale.
Careful watch should be kept of the marshy
meadows of this fruitful Swiftcurrent section
and similar places in the park that other nests
maj' be discovered.
In October, 1887, Dr. George Bird Grinnell
From Handbook of Western p t,i ^ • -\ a •, i T ill ii in,
Birds. L.A. Fuertes. fouiicl tlic bircls cfviite abundant on the St.
Fig. 20. — Horned Mary Lakes and the prairie lakes about the head
s'^^^"'- of Milk River.^ A pair were also reported in
June, 1895, by Messrs. Vernon Bailey and Arthur H. Howell, from
a pond on the prairie near Blackfeet Agency, now Browning.
On April 21, 1918, Mr. Bailey saw dozens of the puffy headed
horned grebes, in full breeding plumage, on Lake McDonald, but
the next day, when the wind had come up and the waves were rolling,
only a few were seen.
Eared Grebe : Colyinbus nigricoUis ccdifornicus. — As this is the
grebe most likely to be seen in the park, it is important to know its
distinctive characters. Only about half the size of the white-throated
western grebe and the red-throated Holboell — or about a foot long — •
its median, pointed crest, light ear tufts, and dusky neck distinguish
it from the puffy-headed, rufous-necked little horned grebe. In man-
ner, also, it is quite different from the cocky little horned grebe, which
comes up from below with a shake of its feathers, points its bill down,
and is gone ; for it Avill sit quietly on the water looking at you with
gentle interest for a long time. It lias been reported by Mr. W. S.
Gibb as breeding on various park lakes, notable among them Lafe
McDonald, and it has been found by Mr. "\Y. C. Gird, in July and
August, on the middle lake of the Swiftcurrent chain not far from
the place where Mr. Stevenson found the nest of the horned grebe
and where it was evidently taking advantage of the superior feeding
ground offered by the unusually muddy lake bottom. Mr. Gird has
also seen it on Glenn and Elizabeth Lakes, in the Bellj' River coun-
try, and on Waterton- Lake, at the Canadian boundary. It is inter-
esting to know that in October, 1887, Dr. Grinnell also found it
abundant on the St. Mary Lakes. Wherever it is found, close at
• Some Autumn Birds of the St. Mary Lakes Region, Forest and Stream, VoL XXX,
J). 308, May 31, 1888.
Wild Animals Glacier Parl<.
PLATE XXII
Jil"l 6(a'!IS''i ■^'
rrom Handbook ol 1 ml-, of flic ^\ f~.u ni I nil 1 ■-i
EARED GREBE.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XXIII.
ggaaaaKJMiiis-i^aiBaa^
Courtesy of National Association of Audubon Societies.
LOONS.
BIRDS. 113
hand it is a quiet companion of the solitudes, while at a distance its
mellow hoy-ee-ujt comes to be pleasantly associated with the beauti-
ful lakes where it makes its home.
Family GAVIID^: Loons.
LooN : Gavia immer. — Few of the large conspicuous birds which
once dignified our frontier are left to delight the eye of the nature
lover. Trmiipeter swan, sandhill and whooping cranes, Hudsonian
curlew, and godwit alike have fallen prey to the thoughtless marks-
man, and even the great blue heron is now rarelj^ to be seen. But the
loon, though driven by the advance of the gunning tourist and the
motor boat to seek deeper and more remote solitudes, is still to be
found on the forest-encircled lakes of Glacier Park, which afford him
ideal refuges.
While the name Loon Lake has been given locally to Eogers Lake
on Camas Creek, Mr. Gibb saj's he has seen dozens of young loons
in other parts of the park, and they apparently breed on the lakes
of both eastern and western boundaries, and from Sherburne Lake
below Many Glaciers to the Waterton Lakes on the Canadian line.
On the small lake.s along the North Fork of the Flathead — Bowman,
Quartz, and Logging — Mr. Gird says they have to leave in October,
as the water is generally frozen over by November ; but at the upper
end of Kintla Lake Mr. Bailey saw a returned migrant on AjDril
16, 1918. They can stay all winter on Lake McDonald, as both the
inlet and outlet remain open. On the Lower St. Mary, just outside
the park, during October and the first half of November, 18S7, Dr.
Grimiell saw several of the loons, and reported hearing them fre-
quently.
In the nesting season one pair of the great, handsomely marked
black and white birds seems to populate a mountain lake, their loud
weird crj^ adding a rich flavor of wild life to its forested shores.
On two of the most secluded lakes that we visited, fleeting glimpses
were had of the noble birds. Glenn Lake, whose four miles of narrow
timbered lengih lead up a glacial amphitheater, offers peculiarly safe
harbor for the hunted creatures of forest and lake. Here, on leaving
(he trail to get sight of the lake, after forcing a passage through
the dense undergrowth and the down timber, at the edge of the
water a resting loon was almost stepped on, and up at the head of the
lake under the glacier a group of Canada geese was discovered.
Another lookout across the lake revsaled a dark reddish brown form
standing on a short strip of beach on the opposite shore, and the
glass excitedly raised showed the long stiltlike legs and dark color
of a vouno- moose. A congenial home, indeed, for the solitude-loving
114 WILD ANIMALS OF (ILACIEK NATIOXAL PARK.
loons ! Crossley Lake, separated from Glenn Lake by a terminal
moraine, may afford additional feeding grounds for the Glenn Lake
loons, or shelter a pair of its own. In any case, on another day
when looking out over its broad surface toward the great glacial
amphitheater above, I saw two of the loons sitting unafraid out on
the middle of the lake. As I watched they rose and flapped their
black wings, dived, and came up, lying with super-duck length on the
water and flashing their white underparts. Then, perhaps becom-
ing conscious of observation, thej' made their way over the beautiful
green and purple deeps of the lake toward the sheer wall of Gable
Mountain, all too soon disappearing from view.
Order LONGIPENNES: Long-winged Swimmers.
Family LARID^: Gulls and Tems.
California Gull : Larus calif oi-nicits. — Mr. F. F. Liebig of Kalis-
pell has a mounted specimen of one of these large gulls in the
mottled immature plumage which was taken at Lake McDonald,
and he has seen two others on the lake.
EiNO-niLLED Gull: Larus delaivarcnsis. — The ring-billed gull,
with white head and underparts, and yellowish bill with a black
band near the tiji, has been identified just outside the park by Dr.
Grinnell, who saw it several times on the Lower St. Mary Lake in
September and October, 1887, resting on sand bars in company with
terns-; and Mr. Stevenson writes me that "at least one variety of
gull is a summer visitor of the park, while they are common on the
plains east of the park, noticeal)ly at Duck Lake and the slaughter-
house located on a pond at Browning." He says that he has also
noted them on Sherburne Lake in midsummer. Mr. Gibb states that
gulls nest at St. Mary Lake and Lake McDonald, along the North
Fork of the Flathead, and on the Belly Eiver, and adds that he has
seen them in summer on Lake INIcDermott. On April 21 and 22,
1918, Mr. Bailey saw a few gulls, apparently of this species, on Lake
McDonald.
Bonaparte Gull: Lams philfi.delphia. — The smaller Bonaparte
gull, the summer adults of which have both bill and head black, and
the winter adults and young of which have a conspicuous dusky spot
on the ear coverts, is reported from the park by the two taxidermists,
Mr. Bryant and Mr. Stanford, and Mr. Bryant thinks he has seen
it on Lake McDonald. Mr. F. F. Liebig has a mounted specimen
taken on St. Mary LaJre when the park was a National Forest,
FoRSTER Tern: Sterna fomteri {?). — Black-crowned and forked
tailed terns presumably of this species were seen flying over the
northern Waterton Lake in August, and they probably cross the
BIRDS. 115
park on their migrations. In September and October, 1SS7, Dr.
Grinnell found small terns abundant on the Lower St. INIary Lake.
They were apparently feeding on small fish ami were busy over the
shallows near the inlet, where thej^ were wind-bound for several days.
Order STEGANOPODES: Totipalmate Swimmers.
Family PHALACR0C0RACID7E: Cormorants.
DoTJBLE-CRESTED CoRMOKANT : Phaldn^ocorax aiiritvs our! f us. — One
of these singular black birds with long snakj^ neck and plumelike
crests over the eyes was added to the park list by Dr. Grinnell,
October 15, 1887, when he found it on the Upper St. Mary Lake
below the narrows.
Family PELECANIDi^: Pelicans.
White Pelicax : Pclecanvs crythrorhi/iirhoH. — The great, spectac-
idar white pelicans, with iheir long bills and large orange fish
pouches, have been seen by Mr. Gibb at Lakes INIcDonald and Sher-
burne in July and August, usually in twos, evidently wandering after
the breeding season. Dr. Grinnell, in October, 1887, saw a solitarj^
wanderer at Pike Lake near the foot of Chief Mountain. It ap-
peared from the north just before sunset and spent the night on the
lake.
These records, together with those of other rare birds, while inter-
esting in themselves are peculiarly so to the observer who by care-
ful watching may make equally notable discoveries.
Order ANSERES: Lamellirostral Swimmers.
Family ANATID^: Ducks, Geese, and Swans.
Merganser: Mergiix amerkanus. — JNIr. Stevenson informs me that
the merganser breeds throughout the park. One of the females with
light reddish brown head and horizontal crest was seen August 6
hj Mr. Bailey on Swiftcurrent Creek, below the falls; and two
others with one of the green-headed, light-breasted males were seen
on August 27 on Lake McDonald. On April 11, when ]\Ir. Bailey
visited the lake, mergansers were common there, and were said to have
been there all winter; during the weeks when the lake was frozen
over, gathering in considerable numbers in the rapids of ISIcDonald
Creek. On April 21 and 22 they were on the lake in moderate num-
bers. Many were also seen along the North Fork of the Flathead
between April 11 and 21.
Mr. Higginson, when collecting just outside the park, wrote: "Six
birds — two males and four females (or young) — stayed around
51140°— 18 10
116
WILD ANIMALS OP GLACIER NATIONAL PAEK.
Stanton Lake all wintei- long. When the lake froze up they went
up the creek, swimming about in the big pools. No wild fowl of any
other kind came into the lake from November 15 to February' 22."
Mr. Bryant has taken merganser eggs on Stanton Lake, so the birds
are doubtless resident.
The mergansers have the interesting habit of fishing in small
bands, and their maneuvers will repay close observation.
Eed-beeasted Merganser: Mergus serrator. — Late in October,
1887, Dr. Grinnell found red-breasted mergansers, with the long,
hairlike crests, in company with a large variety of waterfowl, abun-
dant on the Lower St. Mary Lake, and Mr. Gird reports them as
found in spring, summer, and fall between Waterton Creek and the
From Handbook of Birds o£ the Wpstern ITnitpd States,
Fig. 21. — Red-breayted merganser.
North Fork of the Flathead on the west and Belly River on the east
side of the park. Mr. F. F. Licbig has a specimen taken on Lake
ilcDonald some years ago.
These mergansers also hunt in companies, as Mr. E. LI. Eaton
describes it, " sometimes advancing with wide, extended front, driv-
ing the fish before them and diving simultaneously so that, which-
ever way their prey xni\y dart, there is a serrated beak and capacious
gullet ready to receive them."
FIooDED Merganser: Loplwdyfes cucuUatus. — Mr. Stevenson re-
l)orts seeing the hooded merganser, with the white-centered, wheel-
shaped crest, mostly in spring and fall, in ones or twos on small
ponds, but Mr. Bryant says that it breeds on the Middle Fork of the
BIRDS. 117
Flathead and ' is great for la3diig eggs in the nests A¥ith golden-eyes
and bnffle-heads and then scrapping over the nest." Apparently it is
commonly called wood duck.
Mallard: Anas plafyrhijncha. — The green-headed drake mallard,
which is familiar to all from his resemblance to the domestic stock
derived from the wild, and the brown-mottled female, which may
be recognized by her large size, white-bordered purple wing patches,
her white outer tail feathers, and her loud barnyard quack, should
be looked for in the lower levels of the park. In the willowy borders
of Sherburne Lake, on August 5, we heard the quacking of mal-
lards, and at the oil wells down the lake were shown two nearly
grown young that the Stevensons had raised from eggs under a
hen. They had become so thoroughly domesticated that they allowed
the children to carry them around,
and, although they went down to the
lake with the wild mallards in the
daytime, returned to the house at
night. An adxilt and one nearly grown
young were seen, August 9, by Mr.
Bailey in a marsh just above Lake
Elizabeth, and on August 20 across the
Alberta line three were flushed from
one of the small sloughs. On August
21, we saw eleven mallards on Rey-
nolds Lake a few miles south of the
boundary. "^ .^--.=.-.-^
-m, r r~i I ^ I ii ^ T From Handbook of Western Birds. L. A. Fuertes,
Mr. htevenson says that thev breed
•' " Fig. 22. — Hooded merganser.
m lakes and ponds at the lower eleva-
tions of the park and in 1914 were quite plentiful on the inlets
of both the upper and lower Sherburne Lakes. A mounted mal-
lard seen at Lewis's came from the North Fork of the Flathead,
and Mr. Gird says they are common there as well as about
old beaver ponds on the Belly Pviver. In the fall of 1887 Dr. Grin-
ncU found them "extremely abundant throughout the St. Mary
Lakes region." They were also foimd feeding in open water late
in November, and he said that undoubtedly "a few remain all
winter on mountain streams."
A few mallards were seen by Mr. Bailey, April 10 and 11, 1918,
alono- the Middle Fork of the Flathead and at Lake McDonald ; and
more', mostly in pairs, April 12-19, along the North Fork, from the
mouth of Camas Creek to Kintla Creek, and in many of the small
lakes and ponds; also on April 21, uumy pairs and flocks on Lake
McDonald. They were evidently both breeding and migrating. Mr.
E. H. Myrick, the forest ranger at Belton, saw a family with five
-'r'C.^i
118
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
downy young in a pond on the river fiats near Nyack, April 5 ; and
as tlie forest cruiser, H. E. Flint, saw mallards in the river near
there in December, they evidently wintered there and bred early.
Gadwall: Chcmlelasmufi streperux. — As their Latin name indi-
cates, the gadwalls are noisy ducks. The drake may be recog-
nized by his brown and wliite wing patches, and the duck by her
Avhite patches and pure white wing linings.
A brood of about a dozen dark, j'ellow-spotted, downy young were
found, July 19, by Mr. Bailey, swimming around under the willows
on a beaver pond between ]\Iany Glaciers and Sherburne Lake.
One adult was also seen, August 9, on Lake Elizabeth, in the Belly
River region. In the fall of 1887 Dr. Grinnell found gadwalls
" abundant on shallow j^rairie lakes on Milk River Ridge and north-
ward."'
Baldpate: Mareca awericana. — Mr. Stevenson questions whether
the baldpates breed at all in the park, and Mr. Gibb reports them
only as spring and fall mi-
grants. In 1887 Dr. Grin-
nell found them in the St.
ilary Lakes region, abun-
dant through September
and October but leaving be-
fore the 1st of November.
On April 21, 1918, Mr.
Baile}' found baldpates the
most numerous ducks on
Lake McDonald, in large
and small flocks, out in the
middle of the lake and along shore. Sometimes a hundred or more
would be seen sitting in long rows on a beach in the sun. The next
daj^ the lake was rough and few were seen, so it is evident that the
migrating hordes had merelj' stopped to rest.
Green-winged Teal: Nettion caroKnense. — A mounted specimen
of the prettj' little green-winged teal Avith brown head, green cheek
stripe and wing patch may be seen at Lewis's, and Mr. Gibb says
that it nests in the park, particularly on the west side of the moun-
tains. Mr. Stevenson says that it is seen in great flocks spring
and fall, being the commonest teal of the park. In 1887 Dr. Grin-
nell found it abundant in the St. Mary Lakes region in open water
'up 1o November.
On April 21 -and 22, 1918, Mr. Bailey found green-winged teal
among the most abundant ducks on Lake McDonald. Hundreds
were seen scattered over the lake in small mixed flocks of other
species.
From Handbook of Birds of the "Western United States,
Fig. 23. — Baldpate.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XXIV.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XXV.
Courtesy of Natioual Assouiatiuu ul Auduljun Socktics.
SHOVELLERS.
Left figure, female; right figure, male.
BIRDS.
119
Blue- WINGED Teal: Querquedula discors. — The blue-winged teal
with his white eye crescent, larg,. bine wing patch, and brown body-
is one of the easily recognized ducks and may be looked for as a
spring and fall migrant. In 18S7 Dr. Grinnell found the bine-wing
abundant on the Lower St. Mary Lake in September, but he says it
was one of the earliest ducks to leave for the south.
Cinna:mon Teal: Qiierqiiedula cyanoptera. — Mr. Stevenson has
noted the cinnamon-colored teal in the spring migration, and Mr.
Bryant says that it used to breed at Flathead Lake.
Photograph by Robert E. Rockwell.
Fig. 24. — GrePn wingpcl teal.
Shoveller : Spatula chjpeata. — A female shoveller with its spoon-
shaped bill was seen, August 29, and a male and female on August 30
on Lake McDonald. Mr. Stevenson and Mr. Gibb report them as
spring and fall migrants, but not common. In the fall of 1887 Dr.
Grinnell found them very abundant on the prairie lakes and the
Lower St. Mary Lake associated with teal, widgeon, gadwall, and
mallard. He said they left late in October. In June, 1895, Messrs.
Bailey and Howell reported shovellers seen in nearly all the ponds
on the prairie near Blackfeet Agency, now Browning. Six or eight
pairs were seen and a few single males. On April 21, 1918, Mr.
Bailey saw hundreds of shovellers on Lake McDonald, some in pairs
but more in large flocks, and all the males in handsome spring dress,
with black head, white chest, and chestnut belly.
120
WILD AXTMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
Pintail; Dafila acuta tzltzUioa. — Mr. Stevenson and Mr. Gibb
speak of seeing the brown-headed pintail in spring and fall; and Mr.
Gird, who has noted them in the Belly Eiver region and the north-
ern part of the park, says the}' come into the mountain lakes from
the prairie about September. In the fall of 1887, Dr. Grinnell found
them in small numbers on Milk
Eiver Ridge and the prairie lakes
of the St. Mary Lakes region,
though they were not nearly so
From Handbook of Woatcrn Birds.
L. A. Fucrtcs.
Fig. 25. — Clup-wingcd tcul.
From Handbook ol WL-stcrn Birds.
Fig. 2G. — Cinnamon teal.
abundant as other fresh-water ducks. On April 21, 1918, Mr. Bailey
found them fairly common on Lake McDonald in small flocks.
While mixed with other species on the water, they kept together
when they flew.
"Wood Duck: Aix sponna. — Great confusion has arisen from the
local application of the name wood duck to the Barrow golden-eve
and the merganser, but Mr. H. P. Stanford has a mounted wood duck
^^i^
Prom Handbook of Birds of the Western United States.
Fig. 27. — Pintail.
that he took at Flathead Lake, and says he has seen tlie ducks on the
ponds at the upper end of Lake McDonald.
All the ducks of the region which may be called wood ducks
because they nest in hollow trees should be carefully distinguished.
In the golden-eyes the drake has a green head with a white spot
at the base of the bill, while the duck has a puffy, dai^k-brown
head. In the sheldrake, the scarcely crested head of the drake is
dark green, while the long-crested head of the duck is reddish-
hroivn. In the hooded merganser the drake has a black wheel-
BIRDS.
121
From Handbook of Birda of the WestiTn Lniti'il Staffs.
Fig. 28. — Canvas-back.
shaped crext with a large white fan-,shui>ed patch, while tlie fhiclc
has an vniiuirh-d, grayish hnnvn head. But in the wood chick.s
the drake has red eyes, a pnqdish-ehestniit breast spotted with
white, a heavy green and purple drooping crest and the ddes of the
head streaked ivith white; while
the gray-headed female has a
irhlte eye patch streahlncj Tjack-
ward. The white lines on the
head are enough to distinguish
both sexes of wood duck from
both mergansers and golden-
eyes.
Redhead: Mar ila ameri-
cana. — Though not a common
migrant in the park, the red-
head has been noted by Mr. Ste-
venson, Mr. Gibb, and Mr. Gird.
In October, 1887, Dr. Grinnell
found it abundant on the St.
Mary Lakes. On April 21, 1918.
Mr. Bailey saw a pair out in the
middle of Lake McDonald.
Canvas-back : MarUa valisineria. — Mr. Gibb reports seeing the
canvas-back during migration, and Mr. Stevenson reports it from
Duck Lake east of the park in fall. In October, 1887, Dr. Grinnell
foimd it on the Lower St. Mary during bitter cold weather in con-
siderable numbers. On April 21, lOlS. jNIr. I>ailey saw a few small
flocks on Lake McDonald, readily distin-
guished from the surrounding flocks of
smaller ducks.
ScATjp Duck: Marlla marlla. — On
April 21, 1918. Mr. Bailey found these
large scaups with light-gray backs and
bright blue bills scattered over Lake Mc-
Donald from one end to the other in both
large and small flocks, aggregating at
least hundreds. In the fafl of 1887 Dr.
Grinnell found them abundant on the
Lower St. Mary just outside the park.
Lesser Scaup Duck : Marlla affinh. —
Mr. Bryant told us that the lesser scaup,
whose head is glossed with purple instead of green, passes over Lake
McDonald, and Mr. Stevenson writes that a duck which he takes for it
occurs in the park during the fall months in large flocks. Dr. Grinnell
in 1887 found it abundant on the prairie lakes adjoining the St. Mary
Lakes region, and when these froze up on the Lower St. Mary Lake.
Prom Handbook of WtsttTn Birds.
Fig. 29. — Scaup Juck
122
WILD ANIMALS OF OLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
Ring-necked Duck: Marila eollaris. — Mr. Bryant saj's that the
ringneck is found in swampy ground in the park in summer, so that
it is well to add it to the list of those to be carefully looked for. The
drake, while having tlie black head and breast of the scaups, may be
distinguished by the light ring on its bill, the brown collar and black
back, the duck by the gray wing patch.
Barrow Golden-eye: L'lan<jula islandica. — The handsome green-
headed Barrow drake has Avhat has been described as a " spread-
wing shaped white patch " at the base of the bill which distinguishes
the Barrow golden-eye of the mountains from the American goklen-
ej^e, whose drake has only a round white spot at the base of his
PhotogruDh liy (ii'orKe Shira-s, 31
Courtesy of Hircl-Tji
— <':f)ldon-r'yes
n yrllowRtonp Lake.
bill. But like most male ducks, the handsome Barrow is rarelv
seen in late summer, apparently going off to some secluded place to
luolt, leaving his mate to rear the young. An old duck, with puffy
brown head, golden eye or " brass eye," white underparts and large
white wing patch, leading around a brood of downy young, is one of
the delightfully familiar sights on the beautiful mountain lakes of
Glacier Park. When rowing on Lake INIcDcrmott one July evening,
along the shore opposite Many Glaciers we came to an old mother
with three young. Her white neck line, cutting the brown of her
liead, sliowed conspicuously in the dusk, as did the little white cheeks
contrasting with the dark crowns of Ihe ducklings. When we i-owed
near the mother gave a low guttural call, in response to which the
BIRDS. 123
little felloT\'s instantl}' swam close to her side. When thej' all swam on
together and we followed, though my quieting talk partly reassured
the anxious mother, her distress was so a])pealing that with a (juick
turn of the paddle I sent the boat out into the lake — to our mutual
relief. Feeling safe at last, the little ones strung out in single file
behind their mother, swimming slowly and contentedly along close to
shore. As we watched them, they seemed a fitting part of the peace-
ful sunset picture — the quiet lake over which the cool night air came
down from the mountains, the dark-spired shore line from which
came the vesper song of the thrush, and the sunset light above, fading
out on the snowy slopes of the peaks.
The anxiety of the old duck had doubtless been partly due to tragic
experiences, for up the lake two broods were seen, one with 11 and one
with 12 young, while one w^as reported to us from Sun Camp with 14,
and the usual clutch ranges from 9 to 12. Four-footed prowlers had
perhaps troUed along the lakeshore by moonlight, in their turn hav-
ing to provide for hungry families waiting in some well-hidden den —
for so the world progresses. Broods of various ages as well as num-
bers were seen in the park, some just hatched, some fairly well grown,
while old ducks apparently only leaving their nests for a meal were
noticed at various places. One of these solitary ones flew up near the
head of Grinnell Lake one day, where it dived deep through the
green water. It was aggravating not to be able to follow the ducks
as they flew back down the lakes to their nests. What may have been
such a return home was happened on a year or so ago by Dr. Grinnell,
though he saw it at too great a distance to be sure. He writes, " I saw
a golden-eye that had been swinging about over the lake on the middle
fork of Swiftcurrent, fly over some dead, burned, pine timber on
Wilber Creek and stop before a large pine, where it hovered as a
barn swallow does before its nest, and then disappeared."
At Sun Camp, one morning late in July, I was surprised to see a
golden-eye fly out over the lake below in large disturbed circles, and.
as a motor boat came noisily by, fly high up on the side of the cliff
below the chalet, acting strangely as if going to take refuge on the
rocky promontory. That same morning Mr. Bailey saw a flock of
thirty or fortv golden-eyes fly up past the chalet toward the upper
end of the lake, already gathered into a fall flock anticipating the
southward flight, although Dr. Grinnell found the ducks on the
Lower St. Mary among the last to leave.
On April 22, 1918, when at Lake McDonald, among the golden-
eyes seen too far out to distinguish the species, Mr. Bailey saw one
small flock at the upper end of the lake so close in shore that with
the' <^lass he could distinctly see the crescent-shaped spots on the
cheeks of the two old males, which were in high breeding plumage.
124
WILD ANIMALS OP GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
Buffle-head.
Buffle-iiead: Cliar'itonvtta alheolo. — ]Mr. Bryant once found a
nest in a stump on a flat of Dutch Creek, which he identified from
the egi>s as that of a bnffle-head, but tlie bird was not seen and no
nests wei'c found in the marsh bordering the hike. Mr. Stevenson
saj-s the butlle-head is common in the park in spring and late fall, but
he has never seen either nest
or joung. His father now
suspects that it breeds
near Sherburne Lake. The
mounted bird to be seen at
Lewis's came from the Mid-
dle Fork of the Flathead.
On the St. Marjr Lakes, Dr.
Grinnell found it, like the
Barrow golden-eye, among
the last to leave.
On April 21, 1918, Mr.
Bailey found many flocks of buffle-heads on Lake McDonald, usually
with large flocks or in the great assemblies of mixed species of ducks.
At a distance, he says, they looked like pure white balls— snowballs —
floating on the water.
Western Harlequin Duck : Histrionicus Mstrionlcus faclfcus. —
The western form of the little harlequin, whose distribution is given
as northwestern America and Siberia,
and which spends its summers in rapid
mountain streams, is one of the most
notable birds found in Glacier Park.
Everj'thing about it is distinctive. The
plumage of the drake is bizarre enough
to merit the name harlequin, with its
gray and rich brown body colors strik-
ingly slashed with white, and while the
duck, according to the accepted custom in
ornithological circles, is as dull colored
and inconspicuous as her lord is hand-
some and striking, she still has unusual
face marks — two white spots on each side
of the head that serve to identify her
across a lake.
Still more distinctive are the harlequin's habits, for, like the Avater
ouzel, an habitue of foaming mountain streams, it rides their rapids
with the abandon of enjoyment. On- the rapids connecting the two
St. Mary Lakes, in the spring of 1895, Mr. Bailey found eight or
ten " diving, bobbing on the rough surface, drifting or darting-
down over the rapids, and then- gathering in a bunch below to fly
From Handbook of Wfatirn Bir
Fuprti's.
Flo.,-52.-
-Wosteni harlequin
duck.
BIRDS. 125
back upstream for another descent.'' A family of seven was seen
near the end of August by members of our party on Mineral Creek,
"bobbing over the rapids in single file," and on McDonald Creek
a few days hater we saw a family of five. Here gently tilted shelves
of shale gave an alternation of green shallows and foaming rapids
that the ducks could nuike their way through upstream. As we
looked, the close file of five, each with its white head spots and so
nearly alike in size that we could only surmise that the leader was
(he mother, swam rapidly np through the white foam, using wings
as well as webbed feet and holding their heads high, as the foam some-
times came up to their bills. Once when a rapid was too high they
made a detour up a slanting side chute ending in a ledge over a foot
in height. Four of them successfully jumped up the wall, but the
fifth made a slip and was caught by the swift current and carried
back several feet into the foam. When he came up he made another
mistake, steiiping on a slippery, sloping rock, and a second time was
caught by the water and carried down into the foam. When the
whole five had gone np through a long stretch of rapids toward the
fall where seme old water ouzel's nests were found, they discovered a
fisherman casting a line in the bottom of the gorge; so after some
hesitation they turned around and giving themselves up to the
churning water came bobbing down over the rapids with an air of
buoyant ease that made a rarely pretty sight. At the foot of the
rapids one of them, perhaps the unskillful one which had had trou-
ble in getting upstream, instead of pointing head forward was turned
sideways across the stream. As they swam over to a quiet bay along
shore they were greeted by one of the family that had been left be-
hind — if appearances were to be trusted.
A mother and six young were seen at Grinnell Lake about the
middle of August by Dr. Grinnell, who sent me an interesting ac-
count of their actions. He was standing on the beach when they
came in sight, swimming close to the shore. He says : " They did not
notice me and went along slowly and passed me within 12 or 15 feet.
The little ones were active in diving, as much so as the mother bird,
but remained under the water a much shorter time. All were active,
vigorous swimmers and divers. I heard no call from the young, but
the mother uttered a hoarse croaking quack.
"After they had gone perhaps a hundred yards beyond me, they
seemed to have satisfied their appetites, and drew close to shore,
disappearing behind a little point. I went around to the little cove
where they had gone, and as I appeared they were startled and
swam swiftly from the shore out into the lake. As I stood quiet they
at once recovered from their alarm, turned about, and swam back
toward shore, and then all seven climbed out on a dead tree trunk
that had fallen into the lake and stood there side by side, drying
126
WILD AXIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
tlioir plumage and seeming to enjoj' the sun. They reminded me of
a row of wood ducks. When the young had finished dressing their
down, thej' sat down on the stick, some lengthwise and some across
the log, the mother, Avhich had been the last to leave the water, being
nearest to it."
In the Olsen Yalle}^, August 21, 1917, Mr. Robert S. Yard saw
seven harlequins, the young apparently nearly grown. On Gunsight
Lake, a month earlier, we saw several harlequins which flew up and
down the St. ]\Iary Eiver, near whose rajiids they very likely made
their homes. On the North Fork of the Flathead they have been
seen by JSIr. Bryant, and ]\Ir. Stevenson feels sure that they breed
along swift mountain streams throughout the park. On August 4:
and 5, 1914, Mr. Aretas A.
Saunders saw five birds on
the Upper Two Medicine
Lake. One of the hardy
ducks was seen in the win-
ter of 1917 by Mr. Gibb
swimming in the swift
Avater above McDermott
Falls.
On Iceberg Lake, June
27, 1913, Mr. E. E. Warren
saw a pair of the ducks and
photographed one. "At the
time," he says, "the lake
was mostly covered with
ice and snow, merely a nar-
row strip of open Avater 40 or 50 feet wide along the side opposite the
glacier, and in this the brightly clad drake and his more quietly
dressed mate were swimming back and forth. They were compara-
tively tame and joaid little attention to me as I stood on the shore and
watched them, though they kept in motion continually. The only time
they took wing was to fly over a narrow bit of ice. Later I saw them
get out and walk on the same ice. While I was equipped with a
Graflex camera, the day was very dark and cloudy, raining occasion-
ally, and I did not succeed in getting a single good negative. Even
the strong reflection from the ice and snow did not help out suffi-
ciently. It was the chance of a lifetime, and I will never cease to
regret not having obtained good pictures." Borrowing Mr. War-
ren's best negative, we had it strengthened and touched up and
present it here for its great local interest. Bird photographers vis-
iting the park while the drake is still to be seen in June should watch
carefully for opportunities to obtain better results.
Photograph by E, R. Warren (retouched).
Fig. 33. — Ilarlcquiu duck at Iceberg Lake.
;-\ui
BIRDS.
127
n Han.ibnr.k of \\'est>Tn Birds. I.. A. Fuertca.
Fig. o4. — Whiti'-wingrd scotrr.
WiiiTE-wiNCED Scoter: Oidemld. (IcgJandi deglandl. — One of these
large black sea ducks was seen by Mr. Stevenson in the fall of 1900,
after a big storm, and in September, 1910, he shot three on a
small pond near the east line of the
park.
EuDDY Duck : Erismatura janiai-
censis. — The droll little rudd_y duck,
with his bright blue bill, ruddj' body,
and spiked tail, has been found by
Mr. Bryant in the nesting season o!i
the North Fork of the Flathead,
where there are a number of small
ponds and sloughs that offer congenial nesting sites; but no actual
rests have been located. During the spring migration Mr. Steven-
son has found the ruddies rather connnon on Sherburne Lake, and
in October, 1887, Dr. Grinnell found them very abundant on all the
lakes of the St. Mary region.
On April 21, 1918, Mr. Bailey found them among the more nu-
merous ducks on Lake McDonald, " often giving a ruddy glow to
the gieat mixed flocks along the
shores, on the beaches, or out in the
middle of the lake. Many hundreds
or a few thousands would give a
fair statement of their numbers on
the lake."
Snow Goose : Chen hi/perhorea
liyperhorea. — Hordes of white geese
are reported bj' Mr. Stevenson as
passing over the park in the migrations, especially in fall; but in
1887, among the thousands of geese seen in October. Dr. Grinnell
identified only three as hyperhorca. They came October 25, and
kept mostly by themselves, feeding with the ducks in the shallows
where the inlet enters the lake.
Eoss Goose: f'hcn rosxl. — The first Ross goose reported by Dr.
Grinnell in the St. Mary Lakes region was on October 1, 1887. He
at first took the flocks for snow geese but one shot by an Indian
proved to be the Ross goose, which is smaller than the snow goose
and whose bill is without black on the cutting edges. For a month,
he says, jnigrating flocks of from twenty to a hundred were con-
stantly passing over the lakes and crossing the mountains on their
way south.
Canada Goose: Branfa cmuiden.sis canaden-^k.— Several pairs of
the great gray Canada geese, with the black head and white throat
. r.w^,.^,. ., , -c:;c,c:-t32r
C/ . ,; p^^
Fig. 35. — Euddy ducU.
128
AVILD AXIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
patch, nest in the vicinity of Many Ghaciers, especially about the
head of Sherburne Lake. One pair with very j'oung goslings has
been noted on Lake McDermott. A pair had nested on Lake Joseph-
ine for six years, Mr. Gibb told us, but had apparently been driven
off by the reason's logging. Perhaps they had gone up to Grinnell
Lake, he suggested. Anxious to find the great birds at home on their
northern breeding grounds, when we rode up to the lake in July, on
dismounting I hurried to the shore and swept the lake eagerh^ with
my glass. Nothing was to be seen on the opposite shore or below,
but up at the head of the lake, under the glacier, with its ice cascades
Fhotoeraph by E. R. Warrea.
Fig. 36. — Canada geese.
and waterfalls, sitting quietly in a beautiful family group were the
old and young. They evidently saw us as soon as we saw them, for
they quickly vanished. To get another sight of them, we spent an
hour forcing our way through the dense chaparral bordering the
lake and working across slippery snowbanks to a steep white slope,
ending only at the edge of the water. Then across the lake we dis-
covered white spots — five or six the glass revealed, the young about
half grown — close along the shore with green chaparral-covered
mountain slopes and snowbanks above them — quite a ditferent set-
ting from those we had been watching in the Washington Zoo in
June !
Another family was seen by ISIr. and Mrs. Yard from the steam-
boat on St. Mary Lake near the narrows — two old geese and two
>u uiu gce»e ami VWO
wj vnA gccoc auu LWO
"J uni gccoe aiiu two
BIRDS. 129
grayish young about the size of duclis, while at the head of Glenn
Lake, under the glacier, when Mr. Bailey fluslfed the loon he also
saw a gi'oup of six geese. A nest was discovered June, 1915, by Mr.
(iird on a hunnnock of an old beaver dam between the two St. Alary
Lakes. In 1887 Dr. Grinnell found that the southbound geese reached
St. Mary the last of September and were very abundant there all
through October, some of them staying into November.
When we were camped on the Swiftcurrent, a mile below Many
Glaciers, early in August, on walking across the horse pasture near
sunset one evening, overhead came the stirring honking of geese, the
bugle call that in spring sounds the knell of winter and quickens the
pulses with its prophecy of spring. Six of the great broad-winged
birds came flying abreast through the sky. They wore going out to
the flats to feed, and after sunset came flying back, disappearing up
toward the glaciers.
While some of the geese winter as far north as British Columbia,
others go as far south as the Gulf of Mexico. On the return north
this year large flocks passed over Lake ]\IcDonald in March, many
of them stopi^ing on the lake, which was then partly frozen over. On
April 12, Mr. Bailee' saw a pair on the Xorth Fork of the Flathead,
at the mouth of Camas Creek, said to have been there for a week or
more and supposed to have a nest. Several other pairs were seen
and heard along the river above Logging Creek, and they are said to
breed habitually along the river.
Whistling Swan: OJor cohimhianux. — During the spring and fall
migrations, Mr. Stevenson says, whistling swans are seen at the
Swiftcurrent lakes almost every year. At Lake McDonald, in April,
1918, Mr. Bailey was told that numbers of swans went over the lake
in March, and a few stopped in the open water.
Trumpeter Swan : OJor Inireinator. — In October and November,
1887, Dr. Grinnell found trumpeter swans— largely young of the
year — abundant at the extreme upper end of the Lower St. Mary
Lake, and, as he says, " these, like most of the geese when they started
south, were headed in a southwesterly direction and would thus have
crossed the park, it seems safe to include the splendid birds, now prac-
tically extinct, in the list of the birds of the park."
Order HERODIONES: Herons, Bitterns, etc.
Family ARDEID^: Herons, Bitterns, etc.
Bittern: Botaurua lcnti(]hwsm.— ^\\\\<i the bittern is a bird that is
easily overlooked except by the saunterer along quiet streams and the
leisurely explorer of moist meadows, sloughs, and marshes, its voice
51140°— IS 11
130
WILD ANIMALS OP GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
L. A. Fucrtcs.
and habits make it too interesting to miss. Its famous vocal imitation
of an old wooden pump once heard v/ill be recognized even in the dead
of night, and its
imitation of stake
driving in a bog is
so good that it is
known not only as
the prairie pump
but the stake driver.
Its brown streaked
form will generalh^
be seen from the
back as at one's
slow approach it rises from a reedy slough or stream bank, and with
a deliberate, casual air silently crosses to the next cover, when it
quickly drops out
of sight. If come
upon suddenly, as
by a noiseless
canoe, instead of
taking flight it
turns its protec-
tively colored front
toward you, assum-
ing one of the won-
derful attitudes so
often found among
protectively colored
insects. Pointing-
its bill to the sky,
with long, slender
body held erect and
motionless, it
might well pass for
one of the reeds by
Avhich it is sur-
rounded.
It is good to hear
that even in this
mountain park
there are abundant
opportunities foi'
discovering it.
The best places to
look seem to be on
the low, Avet land
Photograph by Robert B. RockwoU.
Fn3. 38. — Yoims
great blue bei'ou.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XXVI.
Courtesy of National Association of Audubon Societies.
SORA RAILS.
BIRDS. 131
on the west side of the mountains, where many birds unlvnown in
other parts of the park may be found. Here, as Mr. Gibb says, " in
slow water where there are rushes," as in McGee Meadow, and along
Camas, Dutch, and Indian Creeks, and the North Fork of the Flat-
head, bittern have been seen and may well be looked for. But just
outside the east side of the park, near Browning, in 1895, Mr. Bailey
and Mr. Howell heard one pumping.
Great Blue Heron : Ardeu herodias herodias. — A sight of the
great blue heron, like that of the bittern, is one of the rare pleasures
offered the leisurely explorer of the park, and one look at the blue
figure standing erect on the edge of a lake or suddenly bending low
to spear a fish may well become a cherished memory.
Order PALUDICOLiE: Cranes, Rails, etc.
Family GRUID^: Cranes.
Sandhill Crane: Grus canadensis mexicana. — Notes on the sum-
mer occurrence of cranes are now matters of park history. In June,
189r), Messrs. Bailey and Howell reported several heard both day and
night on June 12, 13, and 14 on the prairies near Midvale; and they
added that one pair flew down quite close to camp. In 1899, Mr.
Bryant found old nests with eggshells in them on McGee Meadow
near -Camas Creek. He also found one in a bog on Whitefish
Mountain when hunting clucks. He saw a head with pink on it and
then saw the bird fly off. About twenty years ago Mr. Lewis saw two
sandhill cranes standing out on the prairie on the North Fork of the
Flathead. Not unnaturally, when he first saw tlie tall birds at a dis-
tance, he " thought they were people." Mr. Stevenson has been told
rather recently of a nest in a marsh in the St. Mary Valley below
the i^ark.
At present the park records are restricted to rare migrants flying
over, as tAvo seen by Mr. Gibb in May, 1917, at Sherburne Lake. If it
were not too late the protected prairie patches on the edges of the
park might still recall these original, fantastic birds whose presence
adds so much to any locality: but, associated with the daj^s of the
Indians on the plains, they, too, belong to " a vanishing race."
Family RALLID^: Rails, Coots, etc.
Soea Rail: Porsana Carolina. — Another delightful bird has been
added to the possibilities of the close observer in the park by Mr.
Bryant's record of the sora in McGee Meadow, a few miles west of
Lake McDonald, and its jubilant descending chromatic scale should
be listened for in all suitable marshes. An Indian legend attaches to
the sora as one of the birds called crane's back, because it is supposed
to adopt the easy method of migrating on the back of the crane.
132 WILD ANIMALS OF OLACIEK NATIONAL PARK.
Coot: Fulica americana. — While the coot — recognized always by
its slaty body, black head, and white bill, as b^' it^ loud and varied
cackling talk — is not a common bird in the park, and neither Mr.
Bryant nor Mr. Stevenson have found its nests, there are records
from a number of localities on the lower edges of the park — notably
Sherburne Lake, the Lower St. Mary. Browning, and Belly River
on the east, and Lake McDonald, Camas Lake, Mud Lake, and the
North Fork of the Flathead on the west.
When at Lake McDonald April 21. 1918, Mr. Bailey found coots
numerous, " often in flocks of from twenty to a hundred." On the
next day, when the lake was rough, onlj' two were seen, and these
were " up under the bushes on the shore running about like quail."
Order LIMICOLiE: Shorebirds.
Family PHALAROPODID^: Phalaropes.
XoRTHEKX Phalaeope: Lohifcs lobatus. — Mr. Bryant reports that
the northern phalaropes are seen in fall on the high lakes. Minia-
ture ducks, as they have been called, the dainty little gray and white
birds may be known by their slender necks, delicate forms, and the
habit of spinning around or darting to right and left to pick up
insects from the surface of the water.
Family RECURVIROSTRID^: Avocets, etc.
Avocet: Hecurvirosfra americana. — Mr. Bryant and ]Mr. Gibb have
both seen the large, pale
cinnamon and white Avo-
cet. with its long slender
recurved bill, during mi-
gration ; and Mr. Bryant
says that while it is rare,
it visits the prairie
patches along the North
Fir,. 39.— Avocet. Fork of tliB Flathead.
Vt^aia*"'-"
Prom Handbook of Birds of the Westprn United Statpa.
Family SCOLOPACIDiE: Snipe, Sandpipers, etc.
Wilson Snipe : Gallinago delicata. — On June 11, 1895. jMr. A. H.
Howell found the Wilson or jack snipe six miles west of Browning,
and Mr. Bryant thinks it breeds in the park ; so its probings — holes
in the soft mud — should be carefully looked for in swamps and
meadows. As it feeds largely at night and is so protectively
striped that it is well hidden in the grass in the day time, it may
easily be overlooked unless almost stepped on, when it springs into
the air and darts off with baffling zigzag flight. Its song, erratic as
its flight, is often given high in air from rapidlv vibrating Aving-s.
BIRDS. 133
Pectoral Sandpipek: PisoUa m,acuIata.—Jn fall when on its way
between Alaska and South America, the pectoral sandpiper, with
black rump and up])er tail coverts and neck and breast closely
streaked, has been found by Mr. Bryant in the higher parts of the
park, notably at the head of Dutch Creek near the snow and ice,
and at such lakes as Iceberg Lake with its large glacier.
Geeatek Yellow-legs: Totanus rnelanoleuciis {?). — One of the
yellow-legs is a rare migrant in the park, and Mr. Stanford thinks
it is the greater. As the bird may be seen on its way south in July
it is well to watch for it and make sure of its identity. The white
rump and tail uuirk it as a form of yellow-legs, while the size de-
termines which — the greater being from 12 to 15 inches long, its
bill about 2-|, and its exposed leg bone 21 inches or longer.
Western S'olitaet Sandpiper: Ilelodrorans solitarlus cimuimo-
mevs. — The solitary, which is to be looked for in the park on its
early fall migration, may be distin-
guished from other sandpipers in the
field by its dark color, black wings, and
shrill note. Mr. Bryant reports it from
the valley of the North Fork of the
Flathead, and Mr. Bailey on August li
noted four or five a short distance north
of the Alberta boundary line.
Upland Plover: B artrcvmia longi-
cd'uda. — Another rare, delightful bird to From Handbook of wcatcm Birds, l. a
be looked for on the prairie patches of "' t^° ,„ wi
-■- J- 1^ IG. 40. — Wilson snipe.
the North Fork of the Flathead is the
gentle upland plover, whose sweet bubbling notes from the sky are
heard less and less as the years pass. On the plains east of the park
the curlew and plover are both occasionally found, and in June, 1895,
two pairs of plover were seen by Messrs. Bailey and Howell near
Browning.
Spotted Sandpiper : Actitis inacularia. — The sandpiper seen com-
monly along the lakes of the park, trotting over the pretty red and
green pebbles, and curving out from the shores, skimming low over
the water, showing a white line down the wing, is the same little
tip-up Ave have always laiown on river bank and ocean beach, and
its sweet peet-toeet, peter- meet has a strangelj homelike ring
under glacier-clad mountains. On Gunsight Lake, beside tiie ruin
of the avalanche-wrecked chalet, I found tlie meager nest of one of
the gentle birds, and when the young hatched watched the mother
tenderly sheltering them from the cold wind sweeping down from
the mountain. A pair on the Belly River near the International
Boundary line were so excited by our advent that they, too, doubtless
134
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
had callow yornig hidden on the banks of the curving river. Grov?n
young were seen along beaver ponds in various places, all new and
fresh, plump, snowy-breasted little fellows with the grayish suffusion
on the chest at the bend of the wings.
Canadian Curlew : Numenius americanus occidentalis. — In the
early summer of 1S!)5, Messrs. Bailey and Plowell reported the brown-
streaked curlew with the long decurved bill not only from the plains,
l)ut the St. Mary Eiver, and once from the Upper St. Mary Lake.
Several pairs were seen about June 8.
Family CHARADRIIDiE: Plovers.
Black-bellied Plover: Squatarola squatarola. — A mounted speci-
men of the black-bellied plover with the minute hind toe, in fall plum-
Copyright by H. and E. PittmaD.
Fig. 41.— Killdeer.
age, was seen by Mr. Bailey in the collection of Mr. Frank F. Liebig,
at Kalispell. During a cold storm it was found helpless and chilled
on Swiftcurrent Pass, and en being carried home by Mr. Liebig, lived
several months on bread crumbs and flies.
Killdeer : Oxyechus vociferus vocifer-us. — Though the killdeer —
recognized on the wing by its familiar kill-dee, kill-dee, and on the
ground by its two black chest bands, white forehead and collar, and in
disappearing by its ochraceous rump patch — is not common in the
park, it is reported from a number of localities in the low country.
Mr. Gibb says it breeds at Sherburne Lake, and jMr. Bryant reports
it from the valleys of the north and middle forks of the Flathead,
while Mr. Gird adds Belly River and the INIcDonald Lake country.
At McDonald Lake, one was seen by Mr. Bailey April 21, 1918,
flying along the shore.
BIRDS. 135
Order GALLING : Gallinaceous Birds.
Family ODONTOPHORID^: Bob-whites, etc.
Bob-white: Col'mus virginianus virf/lniamis. — The bob-white of
the eastern lowhmds seems a strange bird to find in Glacier Park,
but it has been introduced into the Flathead Valley, and Mr. Bryant
says has followed np the north and middle forks. Mi-. Stevenson
has seen " a iiock of twenty or more at Swan Lake, in the heart of a
wooded area at least '20 miles from the grain fields," and is inclined
to believe that the quail stray into the park at times, not only on
the North Fork but near Belton.
(
Family TETRAONID^: Grouse, Ptarmigan, etc.
RiciiAKDSON Grouse: Dendragapuft oljHcurun rirhardfioni. — The
large sooty grouse which bursts away noisily from before your
pacli train as you climb np through the forest is common throughout
the heavily timbered higher regions of the park, and when camp-
ing in the mountains many broods will be met with. Up j\Iid\ale
Creek, back of Glacier Park Hotel, early in July we saw our first
bird of the season — an old hen, probably just off the nest, walking
quietly along in the grass. She cocked her head, tweaked her tail,
and walked quickly away on finding herself discovered, but stood still
and did a little observing herself when talked to reassuringly. Two
of her feathers, one the double kind that give the northern grouse
warm body cover, were found in a scooped-out hollow in the trail,
showing where she had been dusting. About two weeks later, on
the Sexton Glacier trail, as we rode out of the dark woods the
peeping voices of young were heard, and as the first horse shied a
big mother grouse flew conspicuously into the top of a low ever-
green, while her brood, circling out on widespread curving wings
like young quail, disappeared under cover. Early in August, on the
Swiftcurrent, an old grouse and seven half-grown young, finding our
camp nearly deserted, walked calmly past the tents and under the
kitchen awning on their way to the creek. On reaching it the mother
flew across, calling the brood till they followed, when they all
walked off toward the blueberry patch in the pine woods. On our
way to the Canadian boundary a number of broods of various sizes
were flushed in the mountains.
In the breeding season the males may be heard giving their ven-
triloquial hoot from the tops of high trees. The birds nest, Mr.
Gird says, on rocky ridges, and Avhen flushed fly down timbered
canyons. Aftar the 1st of November he never looks for them in the
pine country, for they have gone to the red-fir timl)er in the deep
canyons, he says, where they live on the needles during the Avinter.
136
WILD ANIMALS OP fiLACIEB NATIONAL PARK.
Mr. Gibb has found them in winter in snow from one to twontj'-five
feet deep, and saj's they roost in lioles in the snow.
Franklin Grouse: Canach'ites franl-lini. — Tlie Irundsomest grouse
found in (he iiarlt is the small, trim Franklin, the male with his red
eye combs, and strikingly black and white banded plumage adapted
to the dark depths of the forest. One of them was found by Mr.
Bailey in dense lodgepole, spruce, and fir timber on the south fork
of Belly River in August, and in April a pair was flushed by him
1 Biological tiurVL-y,
Fir,. 42. — Franklin grouse.
on the north shore of Kintla Lake. The Franklin is found mainly,
Mr. Gibb says, in the timber along the principal streams, such as
the north fork of Kennedy Greek, and Dr. (Jrinnell says they live
in the thickest timber, in damp, cool situations. In winter they are
said to stay up in the spruces and pines and live entirely on the
leaves of the conifers.
A brood of three half-grown buffy -breasted and tailless youno-
were seen in the Waterton Valley about the middle of Aiigust. wan-
dering around enjoying themselves in deep, soft-carpeted woods of
spruce and fir, where they jumped up to pick black honeysuckle
])erries from the low- busl^jes, or answered their mother's call to come
and eat thimbleberries. One of them, which flew up on a branch, also
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XXVII
From Bureau of Biological Survey.
RUFFED GROUSE.
'KOP£RTY-C.'aC:-t3
CAMERON. PA.
X- i
BIRDS. 137
passed the time eating fir needles. When surprised by our appear-
ance the little fellows ran crouching down the trail showing a keen
hiding instinct, but their mother had little sense of danger. When
the young were approached she merely turned her head over and
called mildly in soft remonstrance. She w;is the genuine fool hen of
Montana, we were told, whom the Pdatheads and the mountain
Indians never kill except when in great need of food, as the birds
are so tame they can be snared at will, without ammunition; as the
Indians say, with string from a moccasin.
The same brood, we supposed, was met with a few days later on
the same trail. One of the young was in the trail and the mother
was sitting on a log when we came up, but on seeing us she called
the little ones into the bushes. When driven out for a better view
she climbed a bank adorned with bear grass, dwarf brake, and linnaea
carpet, and, stopping under a long drooping spray of Streptopus —
imder whose light-green leaves hung beautiful bright red berries —
she jumped up again and again to pick off the berries. Then, flying
up on a fallen tree trunk almost over my head, she sat there looking
very plump and matronly and entirely self-possessed, while I ad-
mired the white and tawny pattern of her plumage. She sat there
calmly overlooking the brushy cover where the young were hidden
and showed no disapproval when the three came out and walked a
log by the trail. She called to them in soft, soothing tones and they
answered back in sprightly fashion. It would have been so easy to
win their confidence completely and to watch their engaging ways
that it was trying to have to leave them and pass on up the trail.
Gray Eitffed Grotjse : Bonasa umheTlus urnbelloides. — In the
pines and aspen thickets of the eastern slope and also in the dense
hemlock woods of the western slope of the mountains, one may look
for this handsome brown grouse whose crested head, black shoulder
ruffs, and banded fan tail give him an alert appearance, and whose
loud sonorous drumming is one of the most stirring sounds of the
forest.
" The grouse hatch Ioav," I was told by Mr. Gibl.i, and broods of
young were reported in July from the Cracker Lake trail by Mr.
M. T. Berger, from Dead Man's Gulch by Mr. Young, the ranger,
and from the Iceburg Lake trail about 4 miles above Many Glaciers
bv Mr. C. W. (rriffing. "Along in September you find them on the
lodgepole pine ridges," Mr. Gibb said, and added that they stay both
high and low all winter. From April 12 to 22, 1918, Mr. Bailey
found them common along the North Fork of the Flathead, many
being seen along the trails and heard drumming in the woods. They
are the most abundant grouse of the low valley country.
In August between Swiftcurrent Creek and Waterton Lake we
flushed a number of them along the trail. On the Belly River
138
WILD ANIMALS OT GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
ti'iiil on successive days three broods whirred up from almost under
the feet of the first horse, making him shj' and jump as if lie had
surprised a bear. One of the first brood, instead of flushing, stood by
his guns, trusting instinctively to his protective coloration and atti-
tudes. Drawn up thin and tall in unbirdlike form, the little brown
fledgling stood on a branch close to the trail looking greatly scared as
we passed. When the second brood sprang up from before us, one of
them calmly took his stand down the road right in the way of the
prancing Iiorse — a cocky little half-grown grouse with small crest up,
ruffs spread, and short tail flashing — sword drawn across our path !
As we rode down on him he flew to his brothers in the cottonwoods.
Photograph by E. II. Warren.
Fig. 43. — Fciiinlc iit;ii'jin,:^;in in smiinier.
but a flicking fan tail that we caught bight of may have been his,
venting his last bravado. As we sat on our horses listening to the low
conversational notes of the brood, their mother, showing her adult
tail band, gave a low purring call and led them off — she would take
no more chances with her adventurous spirits ! The third family
which we surprised near the Canadian boundary line had no bold
knight errant to stay us, and tlie mother, crouching low in decoy,
ran off on one side of the road while the brood dispersed on the other.
Two days later an old cock, disturbed when dusting himself, stood
his ground valorously. To be sure he had lost his tail, but he spread
his black epaulettes with great effect as he strutted off through the
lodgejuole pines.
BIRDS.
139
SltUTHERX WiTlTE-TAILKD PTAinUOAX : Lflf/OpUS IcUCUVUS Ciltl-
'pctens. — One of the mowt interesting birds of the world, Avhose
Arctic-Alpine hahitat makes its acquaintance impossible for most
of us, in Glacier Park is found close to the trails frequented by the
tourist, where a half hour's walk from a chalet may afford a study
Mdiose intimacy is limited only by the patience of the observer. As
I had hunted vainly for ptarmigaii over cloud-swept ridges in New
Mexico, it was doubly exciting to be told of a nest on the (iranite
Park trail " in the grass near the trail by the first snow bank."
When we got there the brood had apparently gone, but as we
crossed ywiftcurrent Pass INIr. Bailey pronounced the slopes on the
south side " ideal ptarmigan slopes," and so, after our dinner at
Copyright by E. R. Warnn. Cuurtray of Dinl-Lur,'.
Fig. 44. — Molher ptarmigan and chicks.
the chalet, when he returned to cliinlj the peak on the north side of
the pass, I accompanied him to make my way up the slopes of the
south peak looking for the birds. Skirting an acre of snow, I zig-
zagged back and forth over the face of the " ideal ptarmigan slope,"
open to swift-winged enemies, but by its broken surface and variety
of colors affording a safe background for ptarmigan in the mixed sum-
2ner plumage. Even the wide ex])anse of slide rock was l)roken
by occasional dwarf evergreens and streaks of grass, and many of
its red shales were patterned with lemon-yellow or curly-brown
lichen covering deep ripple marks. Above the main mass of slide
was a wide grassy slope of soft yellowish brown tones that would
soon match the brown of the ptarmigan. Above this the narrow
140 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PAKK.
outcropping ledges and stony slopes made a terraced Alpine flower
garden, one of the gardens that are among the choicest of all nature's
lavish gifts to man; this one, with its maturing seed harvest, pro-
viding veritable grain fields for hungry bird and beast. Some of
these Alpine terraces were fairly white with the lovely low, wide-
smiling Dryas octofetala. In other places the beds of white were
spotted with the pink mossy cushions of Silene arniilh. while in
still others there were clumps of dwarf sedum, whose dark-red
flowers and seed pods contrasting strikingly with their pale green
leaves might well attract the attention of furry vegetarians locating
granaries, and make good feeding grounds for the Arctic grouse.
Under a protecting ledge that faced the morning sun and had a
dwarf fir in its doorway, a ptarmigan feather told of safe pleasant
liours on the mountain side. Sometimes they choose such places for
the nest, it is said; but not a bird could I discover.
Meanwhile on the opposite mountain, the diminishing figure
climbed till it became a hair line on the crest of the bare dome, when,
turning my glass to sweep the rocky wall below I caught sight of a
mountain goat, with short tail up, walking along the ledges as if he
had been disturbed by noises from above and was getting out of the
way. Walking along deliberately at first, he finally made a jump
and disappeared, not long after which a pack train returning to
Many Glaciers also disappeared down the first angle above the zigzag.
Hoping to discover the ptarmigan above, I climbed on till the
glacier-carved walls on the east framed a view out over Swiftcurrent.
the Sherburne Lakes, and the open plains beyond, while on the west
a sublime view imfoldcd — snow-clad mountain masses with the full
sun on them uplifted to the skjr. But there were no ptarmigan. At
last, discouraged, I retraced my steps and had gone about halfway
down the steejo, stony slope of the mountain when — what was that
sound? Listening, I caught it again — the softest possible call of a
mother ptarmigan ! There she stood, only a few feet from me, hard
to see except when in motion, so well was she disguised by her huffy
ground color finely streaked with gray. A round-bodied little grouse
Avith a small head, she was surrounded by a brood of downy chicks,
evidently just hatched, as their bills still held the sharp projection
for pipping the shell. Preoccupied with the task of looking after her
little family, as I talked reassuringly to her, she ignored my presence.
Nothing must hurry the unaccustomed little feet, nothing must inter-
fere with their needed rest. Talking softly she graduallv drew
the brood in under her motherly wings and sat there only a few
yards from me, half closing one eye in the sun and acting oblivious
to all the world. Once the downy head of a chick appeared between
the fluffed-out feathers of her breast, and once she preened her win"-
BIRDS. 141
SO she showed the white quills renuiiiiing from the white plumage
ol: winter.
Her bill opened and her throat palpitated as if she Avere thirsty, as
she sat brooding the young, and I imagined that the last hours of
hatching high above water had been long and trying to the faithful
mother. But though water — clear cold mountain brooks — were be-
low, no need of her own could make her careless of her little ones.
Keeping up a motherly rhythmic cluck-uk-uJi, cluck-uk-uk, inter-
larded with a variety of tender mother notes, she led them down by
almost imperceptible stages, slowly, gently, carefully, raising a furry
foot and sliding it along a little at a time, creeping low over the
ground with even tread, picking about as she went, while the little
toddlers gradually learned the use of their feet. Like a brood of
downy chickens, some wer-e more yellowish, some browner than
others, but they all had dark lines on head and body giving them
a well-defined color pattern. Peeping like little chickens, while their
mother waited patiently for them, they toddled around, trying to
hop over tiny stones and saving themselves from going on their bills
by stretching out wee finny wings. As chickens just out of the shell
instinctively pick up food from the ground, they gave little jabs at
the fuzzy anthers of the dryas, little knowdng that pollen was the
best food they could find, a rich protein food from which the bees
make bee bread to feed their larvse. Did Nature teach them also to
find a starch as she does the bees, who add honey to bee bread to pro-
duce a balanced ration ? It would be interesting to determine.
As Ave all made our way slowly down the slope, I watched Mr.
Bailey's descending figure on the opposite slope and Avhen he reached
the pass, signaled for the camera. The addition of a second sym-
pathetic observer did not disturb the old mother ptarmigan, and she
allowed a large part of a film — most unfortunately spoiled by a drag-
ging shutter — to be taken at decreasing distances until Avithin the
shortest possible focus. When one of the chicks was picked up by
Mr. Bailey it sat in his open hand unafraid and unnoted by its
mother, but when a second was reached for more obviously, she gave
a low hiss and drew her white wings down threateningly at her
sides, so, unwilling to trouble her, we hurriedly left ; but, on slipping
back in a few moments for a last look, found her composedly brood-
ing her little ones.
The next day when Mr. Bailey went to look for mammals, I re-
turned to look for my ptarmigan. Thinking to find them Avhere I
liad left them or higher, I climbed up through the floAA^er gardens to
the foot of the cliffs croAvning the mountain, Avhere four-footed moun-
taineers had climbed before me. From the foot of the cliffs on the
east, I looked down on the seamed face of SAviftcurrent Glacier.
51140°— 18 12
142 WILD AXIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
and on the west, as the cool, invigorating air swept across the slope,
looked off on the row of mountain peaks seen from Granite Park,
standing out wonderfully in the full morning light, their sides
veiled in rich purple and buffy atmosphere, the white of their snowy
summits repeated ethereally at higher levels by cloud caps dissolving
ill the pale blue sky.
But though an occasional siskin might be heard passing over, not
a ptarmigan was to be found on the slopes, and it finally came over
me that it was illogical to look for them so high. They must have
water, and at present were quite unequal to mountain climbing. I
shoidd have looked at water level. Hurrying down, I passed the
wind-flattened evergreens and snow banks, and as I came to the
first open water came face to face with my lovely little family.
Yes; there were five; they were my brood. As I greeted the mother
I noticed appreciatively her selection of a drinking place for her
callow young, for the water seeping down through the spong}' grass
trickled over a shallow rocky saucer just the right depth for downy
chicks. As I watched, the old grouse drank thirstily herself, as if
enjoying her release from the dry slopes al)ove. The soft sod gave
uuich easier footing than the rocks, and a few hours of practice with
feet had told remarkably in the skill of the brood, for they wobbled
much less and ran around in a sprightly waj^, sometimes straying a
rod or more from their guardian.
She appeared a little nervous out in the open, and suddenly turn-
ing her head on one side to look up gave a prolonged low call. The
brood, which had been picking around in plain sight, at the alarm
simply vanished. As nothing came and the warning was not re-
jieated, one after another the little forms became visible again right
under my astonished eyes. One little tot, I was amused to see, had
been sitting down back to a stone that helped make him invisible.
Meanwhile the sky, so far as I could see, was vacant of menace.
Had the wise old mother been giving fire drill? Up the trail came
a party from Many Glaciers, led hy its big-hatted guide, but they
had not alarmed her, for, though passing only a rod or so from the
family, she bai-ely moved. And still, while her little ones strayed off
or fed around her, as she talked to them she kept looking up nerv-
ously. Did she feel that they were too conspicuous out in this
o]ien grass? Would it be too easy to pounce down and carry one
off? Whatever her argument, or instinct, she edged up onto a ledge
and stood back against a rock, where she was less conspicuous, and
after pluming herself gathered her little ones under her wings. As
I glanced down over the rocks below the ])ass T started, for there
were three mountain sheep — big horns, Avith brownish bodies and
white rump patches — standing on the flat rocks at the edge of the
cliffs beyond the trail. Could the old ptarmigan, with her keener
BIEDS.
143
senses, have heard them as they came-do^Mi the ^\a\l of the mountain ?
She sat there all unconscious now, while they, looking thin and
shorn compared with th& shaggy white goats, stamped and kicked
at the flies and put down their big-horned heads. Presently the three
started over the edge of the cliff, and after a few- moments a ewe,
with shorter, straighter horns came down and followed along after.
All this time the old ptarmigan with feathers puffed out sat on -her
rock about ten feet from me. Once a little head peeped out from
among the feathers, but all was quiet, so quiet that I could hear the
water trickling through the grass. When well rested the downy
Photograph by E. R. Warren.
Fig. 45.-
-Ptarmi,!;;;]!! in winter.
chicks came out and began to peep and run around again, one of
them coming within five or six feet of me without question from his
mother, for we were old tried friends now.
But what were they finding to eat? The drj'as was higher up on
the mountain. As I questioned, I discovered one of the little tots in
a bed of dwarf willows whose pinkish stamened catkins stood about
an inch from the ground. Making a quick run at a catkin the little
fellow gave a jab at the fuzzy anthers ! Droll little chicks ! Appar-
ently their mother approved of their diet if she did not understand
dietetics, for as they went busily about among the flowers and grasses,
she left them to their own selection. But it was high noon and time
to go back to the chalet. AVhen I returned in the afternoon a storm
144
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
was coming and my little family had apparently gone to shelter —
possibly under a dense mat of evergreen or into a safe cavern under
a ledge, for they are said to- roost along the edges of coarse rock
slides under dwarf evergreens — and greatly to my disappointment,
I never saw them again.
Another brood of five downy chicks was found by a member of
our party on the crest of the mountain opposite, but in this case there
was melting snow near at hand. A brood of six larger young was
found near the top of Piegan Pass in August, also in easy reach of
water, and where there were bunches of red sorrel whoso seeds the
3'oung were eating. On Kootenai Pass still later the turkeylike
kerp, hcrp, of a mother ptarmigan calling her brood was heard in
Photograph by E. J. Oameroo.
Fig. 46. — Sharp-tailed grouse.
passing. Near Blackfeet Glacier feathers were found, and at Gun-
sight Pass a lineman reported seeing the birds where the open slopes
afford abundant food.
In winter the ptarmigan feed on willow buds and the evergreen
leaves of the dryas, Mr. Stevenson tells me. He has found them with
their snow white winter plumage complete the last of September, and
in winter has seen them on the mountain tops, " each bird sitting in
the snow lodged behind a rock on the bare, rocky, wind-swept bar-
rens." After hard storms, he saj's, thej' may also be found at the
bases of the mountains, and one flock was discovered in the willoAvs
above Sherburne Lake during a blizzard. But though a few may
occasionally be driven below by stress of storm, the ptarmigan live on
the mountain tops, where the mountain sheep and goats make their
homes, and where they, too, are nourished by the hardj', dwarf, Arc-
tic-Alpine flora. Having had little to fear from the hand of man,
these gentle birds offer one of the most delightful of all experiences
to the bird lover, the opportunity to study their natural home life
close at hand.
BIRDS. 145
Columbian Shaep-tailed Grouse : Pedimcetes phananellus co-
lumlihinHS. — Birds of the, plains and the willowy ravines of the foot-
hills, the Columbian sharp-tails thou<;h rarely, if ever, breeding in
the park, are sometimes very plentiful along- the eastern boundary,
Mr. Stevenson says, in the winter months coming up the open ridges
well into the park, and being especially numerous between the two
Kennedy Creeks and below Chief Mountain. The heavy rain and
flood of the ^^ear 1908 killed off the greater part of them, but in Jan-
uary, 1912, between the two Kennedy Creeks, Mr. Stevenson saw
flocks of literally thousands feeding on the low flower buds of the
water bii'ch. That year they were common all along the park line
from. Cut Bank County to the Canadian line. They used to be in the
Fhvthead Valley and the small prairies on the North Fork, Mr.
Bryant saj^s, but now are practically gone. Three flocks wintered
in the open country near the Adair ranch just south of Logging
Creek in 1915-16, but thej' left in the spring and no others have
been seen.
Order COLUMB^: Pigeons.
Family COLUMBID^: Pigeons. , t'- C.*C- C!
Western Mourning Dove: Zenmdura macroura, marginslla- — - ''
The familiar mourning or turtle dove, with the graduated tail, is a
bird of the lower levels rarely seen in the park. Mr. Stevenson has
seen only two in 17 years. On October 30, 1887, Dr. Grinnell saw one
on the Lower St. Mary Lake, and in 1895 Messrs. Bailey and Howell
saw a pair at St. Marj^ Eiver, and two near Midvale. Mr. Gibb has
seen the dove around Adair near the North Fork of the Flathead in
summer, and Mr. Lewis speaks of seeing it at Lake McDonald.
Order RAPTORES: Birds of Prey.
Family CATHARTIDJE: Vultures.
Turkey Vulture : Cathwtes aura seffentnonalifi. — In the fall of
1885 Dr. Grinnell found the turkey vulture with the bare red head
and neck of a turkey gobbler common over the prairies of the St.
Mary Lake region, and in 1895 Messrs. Bailey and Howell saw
two over the St. Mary River ; but Mr. Gird says that, like the eagles,
they have been getting caught in fur traps and so done away with.
In a fifteen-year residence Mr. Lewis says he has seen only two, and
those outside the park. Mr. Bryant has seen the vulture about the
prairie patches on the west side and has mounted some killed less
than ten miles from the park, but says that the bird is almost un-
known now, especially on the west side.
146
WILD ANTMALR OF OLACTKP. XATIONAI, PARK.
From Biological Survey.
Fn:. 47. — Sbarp-shinni'd
Family BUTEONID^: Hawks, Eagles, etc.
Marsh Hawk; t'irciis ci/d.nevs hii(h<>nlus. — The mouse hawk, as it
is known locally', is easily recognized by its wliite rump jDatch as it
Ijeats low over meadows, marshes, and beaver ponds, hunting for
small manunals. While restricted to the lower levels, it is reported
from Sherburne Lake, Lake St. Mary, and the
North Fork of the Flathead. Several were seen
by us in the Belly "River country, at Waterton
Lake, the Reynolds Lakes, and along, the Koote-
nai Trail.
The marsh hawk nests on the ground, and
when opportunity offers it is a peculiarly in-
teresting bird to study and photograph.
Sharp-shinned Hawk : Acciplter relo.r. —
The long-tailed little sharp-shinned hawk darts
about, picking up birds or small mammals with
dextrous ease, but occasionally he finds his
match. One morning in August, as the sun was
shining over the garden wall at our Granite
Park camp and the small birds were flying
around among the tall firs, Mr. Bailey saw a band of Clark crows and
Oregon jays come into the white-barked jiines. " Suddenh'," he said,
" the ground squirrels began to chirp in a low tone quite different
from their usual alarm note, and a sharp-
shinned hawk dashed across from one tree
to another in pursuit of an Oregon jaj' of
his own size." Such temerity was not to go
unpunished, and the jay, with loud squawks,
promptly chased him back to another tree,
a Clark crow joining in " witli liarsli
cries and widely flajDping wings."
A few hours later, as we were crossing
Swiftcurrent Pass, we saw a sharp-shin
skim low over the ground and make a quick
dive at a ledge of rock, when a ground
squirrel with a sharp sqiieak dodged back
out of his reach. After the hawk had dis-
appeared, the half-grown ground squirrel
came out and loudly celebrated his escape
with warning whistles to his brothers.
Cooper Hawk : Acdpiter coopen.— One of the Cooper hawks, simi-
larly marked but a size larger than the sharp-shinned, -was seen by
Mr. Bailey on August 9, flying over the low peak adjoining Chief
INIountain. The hawk was also reported by Mr. Frank M. Stevenson
from the Sherl)urne Lake region.
From Bioloffical Sii
Fig. 48.-
-Goshawk.
Wild Animals Glacier Park
PLATE XXVIII.
From Handbook of Birds of ttie Western United States.
MARSH HAWKS.
Male.
Female.
BIRDS.
147
From Biological Survey.
Fig. 49. — Red-tailed hawk.
Western Goshawk : Astur gcnt'dis Htrintulus. — The destructive
goshawk, which lives largely on poultry in settled regions and on
game Ijirds in the inountains, may be recognized by its bluish bade
and swift flight, which give it the name of blue darter. A hawk
seen from a distance, at the base of (irinnell Mountain, was appar-
ently a goshawk. A mounted bird from
Lake McDonald is in the collection of F. F.
Liebig, of Kalispell. One taken for the
eastern forna by Mr. H. C. Bryant, of Cali-
fornia, was seen July 23 on the trail be-
tween Reynolds Creek and Piegan Pass.
Westken Red -tail: Buteo horealis
calunis. — The widespread rufous fantail of
this hawk seen overhead, as he circles high
in the sky giving his high-pitched squeal,
identifies him anyAvhere. While the red-
tail is one of the most beneficial hawks,
waging an incessant warfare on injurious
mammals, such as ground squirrels and
mice, it is often called henhawk or chicken-
hawk and killed through popular prejudice, greatly to the detriment
of the ranchman.
In 1885 and 1887 Dr. Grinnell found it connnon among the foot-
hills and on the plains of the St. Mary region, but only two were
seen by us in the park during the summer, one
on the Swiftcurrent, below Lake McDermott,
and one over the flats of Belly River; but on
April 19, 1918, Mr. Bailey saw one on the road
just west of Dutch Creek. Another was seen in
1913 by Mr. E. R. Warren on Bison Mountain.
SwAiNSON Hawk: Bwteo swainsoni. — Mr.
TI. C. Bryant, of California, reports having
seen a Swainson several times " on the open
prairie about a mile down the Swiftcuri'ent
River from Many Glaciers," and Mr. E. ,S.
Bryant saj'S the birds nest on Teakettle Moun-
tain on the southwestern edge of the park.
One of these prairie-frequenting hawks was
seen by us in August on the Belly River flats.
As if letting the upcurrent take it, it rose higher and higher, squeal-
ing something like a red-tail, till it was only a black line against a
white cloud.
Squirrel Hawk: Archihuteo ferrugineus. — Another prairie hawk,
the large squirrel hawk or ferruginous rough-leg, was seen in the
From Biological Survey.
Fig. 50. — Swainson hawk.
148 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
iidi'se pasture below Many Glaciers. It was a inchuiistic, blackish,
immature bird, with reddish breast, and the characteristic feathered
legs. Its presence on a low tree overlooking the field produced a
great barking of ground squirrels and chij^ping of birds, although,
had the birds but known it, he was not looking for them, for he lives
almost exclusively upon small mammals and reptiles, with the addi-
tion of crickets.
Golden Eagle: Aqv'da chrysaetos. — Eagles were seen in a number
of places, hunting over the sides of the mountains. From St. Mary
Lake one of the dark forms was seen moving along the face of
Flat-top Mountain ; near Many Glaciers, on looking across the green
water of Lake Josephine and over the dark conifers of the island, up
against the red strata of Grinnell Mountain another large dark form
was seen; and near Piegan Pass, at Granite Park, and above Lake
Ellen Wilson still others of the great birds were seen as landscape
features projected against mountains or diving deep into canyons
for their prey.
When we were camping in their country, our guide, Mr. Gird,
described some interesting experiences he had had with them : " Once,"
he said, " I happened to look up and here come an eagle like an arrow.
I scrouched — and he didn't go a hundred yards from me when he got
his marmot." "An eagle will carry off a Irid as he would a marmot."
he added. When we were camped on the head of Mineral Creek,
pointing to the cliff opposite, he told of a- battle he had seen there
between a pair of eagles and a full grown mountain goat.
" He was right up there where that stone looks like a goat at the
top of that green " — pointing to some timberline dwarfs. " The
nannie and the kid had gone ovei' the ridge and he was going when
the eagle attacked him. The eagle came and kept swooping down at
him till he run into the green. He must have hid in the green — we
could see very little white. Then the eagle went away and when the
goat came out, he came back with his mate. It was funny to see them
work. One would stay up and the other would dive. He would make
a little run and when they would come he would rare up and paw at
them with his front feet, and then they'd beat it. He was making for
that dark ledge " — pointing up. " 'Wlien they was raising, the goat
would make a run for the cliff. When he got to the cliff' they couldn't
dive at him. They sure did hate to give him up. They sailed round
for a long time. It was about this time " — six o'clock — " and he
stayed around till nearly dark." Gazing up at the cliffs reminis-
cently, he concluded emphatically, "The old sport was scared a
little bit!"
When men are trapping for mountain lions, Mr. Gird said, they
sometimes get eagles. " Royal eagles" he called IheuL and said that
to the Indians they appaiently represent force.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XXIX.
i^uurue^^ ui Liid L/vm. iiiuiu. ]jy ii. W . Nash.
YOUNG FERRUGINOUS ROUGH-LEG.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XXX.
Courtesy of Bird Lore. Photo, by H. W. Nash.
YOUNG GOLDEN EAGLE.
BIRDS.
149
Bi^LD Eagle: Tlalmetus Icucoccplialus leu-
oocephalus. — No bald eagles ^Yere seen by us
in the park except the mounted specimen at
Lewis's, on Lake McDonald. Mr. Stevenson
says he has seen only one or two adults in
the park, but tliat the birds are known to
nest on the rocky buttes out on the plain?;
east of the park. Mr. Br3'ant says they
also nest on the North Fork of the Flat-
head. In 1887 three or four aduhs were
seen by Dr. Grinnell in the St. Mary Lakes
From Biological Survpy.
Fig. 51.— Bald caglp
As the bald eagle lives largely on fish,
taken dead or alive, Mr. Gird says they
class him Avith the vulture. As he said, " He's not tlie hunter
the roj-al eagle is."
Family FALCONIDiE: Falcons, etc.
Pbaieie Falcon : Ilierofalco niexicanus. —
Near Kootenai Pass, as Ave rode along the
vertical wall of a mesalike mountain mass
suggestive of the homes of the prairie
falcon, high overhead we were much pleased
to see one of the small hawks fly out witli
its characteristic quick, hard wing beats.
It was the only one seen or heard of during
the summer, but in the fall of 1887 Dr.
Grinnell found it common on the plains
and about the Upper St. Mary Lake. "When
seen near at hand, it may be known by its
pale clay brown upperparts, white collar
and underparts.
Duck Hawk : Rhynchodon peregrinus anatum. — One of the duck
hawks, which rank next to the goshawk as fierce birds of prey, was
seen by Dr. Grinnell in 1887, feeding on a
female shoveller, on a bluff overlooking Red
Eagle Creek during a blinding snowstorm.
Pigeon Hawk: Tinnunculus coliimlmrius
coIumiarius.—TYie pigeon hawk— one of the
small bird-catching hawks— was reported from
the park by Mr. Bryant.
Desert Spakrow^ LIawk: Cerchneis sparreriu
j)hal(ena. — The familiar rufous and brown
sparrow hawk, v/hich lives largely on grass-
hoppers and nests in a hole in a tree trunlv, From BioioeiCTi survey.
was seen a number of times in the park. An fig. os.^rigcon hawk,
From Biological Survey.
Fig. 52. — Duck hawk
150
WILD AXIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
From Biological Survey.
Fig. 54. — Sparrow hawk.
fidult was seen at Glacier Park carrying a mouse, while a young
one sat in a dead tree containing a nesting hole, and a family
of young seen in a burn along the Swiftcurrent trail were being
fed in a tree top. Two Avere also seen at
St. Mary Lake chasing a goshawk, and
one was fourd at Big Pi'airie, on the
North Fork of the Flathead.
Family PANDIONID/E: Ospreys.
Ospret; Fish Hawk: Pandlon hall-
aetus vafollncnsis. — A note from the sky,
followed by a shadow projected over the
green water of Lake Josephine, drew my
r.ttention to a large, whitedieaded, brown-
backed bird, white underneath to the
linings of its long, outstretched wings.
As I watched, higher and higher it rose
in the sky until it was no longer to be
seen in the blue. Had the osprey wandered across from a distant
r.'est to investigate the fishing'* It is said to live throughout the
park wherever there are fish and the Upjier St. Mary, near Reynolds
Creek, the Swiftcurrent above Sherburne Lake, and the southern
Waterton Lake all boast ancestral nests.
A fish hawk's or osprey's nest is one of the most interesting ornith-
ological features of the landscape. Built, as on the Swiftcurrent,
on top of a broken-ofi dead tree, where it can be seen for miles
around, the great gray mass of sticks grows higher and higher as
the j'ears pass, and one who has once made the acquaintance of the
family will welcome their return each spring, sure of rare enter-
tainment in watching them rear their young. The nest on the
Swiftcurrent, easily watched from the high embankment above the
creek, was on a dead limby spruce about 40 feet from the ground
and was perhaps 4 feet wide by 2^- feet high.
When I first went to watcli the nest from the point on the embank-
ment that I named Fish Hawk Point, one of the parents — let us
say the mother — stood on the tip of a tall spruce commanding lioth
nest and surrounding landscape. On Guard, her picture might have
been labeled. In the nest white flashes came from the moving young,
away in the distant background were seen the forested slope of the
moraine, and above, the bare, rocky cliff, gilded by the afternoon
light. Down the river the other parent was fishing, his loud peeping
yelp-elp-elp-elp being heard as he flew, now over the trees, now
BIRDS.
151
over the lakes, now against the mountain-side, finally disappoai-ing
in twinkling white flashes in the distance. As we watched, thinking
he had gone, back he came calling, with a fish in his claws, held
head-on to cut the air as he flew.
Copyright by Haynes, St. PauL
Fig. 55. — Nest of osprey.
Early the next morning I took my stand at Fish Hawk Point,
where I spent a large part of the day. A parent and both young were
standing on the nest on my arrival, one leaning over eating. Pres-
ently the parent raised its head and looked over in my direction;
then liftino- its wings and spreading them wide, flew straight across
152
WILD ANIMALS OF CLACIEE NATIONAL PARK.
the creek bottom, full of •willow thickets and beaver dams, till it
came crying over my head. After careful inspection it circled back
and lit on the tip of a spruce spire, the other parent watching from
an ailjoining tree and crying loudly yeJ p-elp-elp-elj), yelp-cl p-elp-clp^
while the two at the nest at intervals raised their weak j'oung voices.
Perched on high spires, the parents made handsome figures, with the
sun full on their white breasts and j^roudly raised white heads, and
vihen thej' flew al)oiit they flapped and sailed beautifullj^, their brown
wings almost shining under the sun.
PhotOKraph by A. f. Bent, CnurtDsy of Bird-Lorp.
Fig. 50. — Two photographs of an osprcy .md its nest from a distance of 30 feet, the
smaller with a 6-inch-fociis lens ; the larger with a 26-inch-focus lens.
The birds in the thicket below made merry, the siren of a passing
automobile stage sounded, and finally one of the parents relaxed its
vigilant sentry duty enough to go to the nest for breakfast. After
eating its fill it stood on the nest for a long time, its young one,
as if quieted by its presence, lying down in the nest for a rest. "When
I moved there was another inspection and then both parents stayed
for some time out of sight from the nest, calling as if they sus-
l^ected danger and were encouraging the young to leave. At any
rate, one of the fledgelings, as if in resjionse, flapped his Avings over
the nest again and again, his thin I'ch-heh-J.'ch sounding Aveak, in-
deed, compared with the strong dp-clp-clp of his parents. Presently
BIEDS. 153
one of the old birds came to the nest, holdino- its long -wings out
over the platform a moment in alighting. As if to draw the young,
it stayed but a moment, and when it had gone the urge to follow
came irresistibly to the more courageous of the two brothers. Stand-
ing on the edge of the nest, he raised his wings above it. As he
held them lifted there came a beautiful moment when the wind
seemed to fill his sails. All the possibilities and joy of flight Avere
in that tremulous moment. Then, with the courage and strength
of a creature born to fly, his feet loosened and up ho rose above the
nest ! Thrilled by the poetry of the first flight, I sat spellbound
watching him. Would he drop back? No; he had tasted freedom
and power. But the wind blew hard in his face, and he was borne
back behind the nest tree. Rallying, perhaps in a lull, he flew
ahead again. But what should he do out in this limitless space?
For a few moments he drifted around aimlessly, and then, quite
naturally, having always lived in a tree top, flew down over a spruce
spire and, with much flapping of wings and evident perturbation,
finally let his feet down and got his balance.
His mother meanwhile had flown to the nest, from which she
watched the vagaries of his first flight; but when he lit she flew
to the top of a neighboring spire closer by. After an interval, when
the two sat like statues on the two spires, the courageous son again
sallied forth, this time wandering back almost to the nest and then
over near his parent, where he tried to light on a slender, imstable
spire. Greatly scared, he flapped his wings, and ci'ied in his weak,
young voice for a long time before he could accomplish it ; and no
sooner was he settled than the wind came and almost upset his bal-
ance, making him flutter distractedly — alas for the saints on the
point of a needle ! The parent, who was on a large stable stub, gave
herself a shake that would have precipitated the youngster, and
merely looked about with an air of accustomed power. Then, watch-
ing her wind-blown wabbling son, she leaned over, looking as if
she wanted to help, and — whether with deliberate intent or not —
flew ofl^ and let him take her stable perch. This was such an im-
provement that after a time the courageous one actually leaned back
and preened himself, as if he had stood on spires all his days. Get-
ting tired, he tried sitting down on his perch, but spires and wide-
platformed nests were quite a different matter, and his weary legs
wabbled so that he was forced to take wing, flying and circling, till
he finally made his way back to the nest. With outspread wings he
hovered over it, legs dangling, but at last let himself dowi^ — home
again for a good rest.
"When the timid brother finally got up his courage to leave the
nest, he, too, wanted the solid perch, but succeeded only so far as to
51140"— ].8 la
154
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER, NATIONAL PARK.
dislodge his brother. Over and over again the round was repeated,
the young making short flights, lighting on the solid perch or wob-
bling on a spire, and then circling back again to the nest. And here,
when I had been wondering how they could be fed on spires, it
proved that the parents brought the fish to the nest, where they and
the young ate in comfort from their broad dining table. During
the afternoon the jDrogress of the young was surprising, and before
I left I was not always sure that a direct powerful flight was that
of a parent, for the 3'oung aeronauts were rapidly getting to feel
at home in the sky.
Family BUBONID^: Homed Owls, etc.
From Biolotrlcal Survey.
Fig. 57. — Short-cared owl.
Short-eared Owl: Asia fammcus famnievs. — The interesting
short-eared, one of the partially diurnal owls which lives in the
open, is reported from the flats, heavy wil-
lows, and dense brush of the park.
Great Grat Owl: Scotiaptex neljulosa
nehulosa. — A mounted specimen of the great
gray, a diurnal owl of dense forests, was
caught in a coyote trap in the park and is
now to be seen at Lewis's Hotel. From the
concentric rings of gray that make up its
facial disk, it is called locally the saucer-
faced owl. Mr. Gibb says that it is resident
in the park, and Mr. Stanford says he has
known of j'oung, scarcely able to fly, being
seen north of Kalispell. Mr. Gird reports
it from the prairies and the automobile road to Many Glaciers in fall,
and Mr. Bailey saw the wing of one at a house on Camas Creek Eidge.
EiCHARDSON Owl: Crrjpfoglaux
funerea richardsoni. — A mounted Rich-
ardson seen at Lewis's was caught in a
coyote trap west of the park, but Mr.
Bryant says they are common, and trap-
pers catch them in marten traps. Beach-
ing their southern limit in the northern
United States, they are interesting owls
to watch for. Only 9-12 inches long,
their dark brown upperparts are spotted
with white, their breast heavily blotched
and the belly streaked with dark brown,
while the feathered flanks and feet are usually buffy, more or less
spotted with brown. As they are so nocturnal that they \vaxq been
From Handbook of Woatcrn Birds.
Fig. 5S. — S:nv-whot owl.
BIRDS.
155
taken in the hand in the daytime, the Eskimos of Alaska have given
them the name of " blind ones."
Saw-wiiet Owl : C ■ryptoglaux acadlca accu/tca.—Mv. Bryant says
that the saw-whet is rare in the park and (hat the mounted one at
Photograph by Robert B. Rockwell.
Fic. 59. — Screech owl at home in a hollow tree.
Lewis's came from outside the park. In 1895 Messrs. Bailey and
Howell reported hearing one at dark on June 1, at the upper St.
Mary Lake. As it is a small nocturnal owl of the deep forest it
may easily be overlooked.
156
WILD AN'IMALS OF GLACIER KATIONAL PARK.
MacFaklake Screech Owl: Otiis cislo macfarlanel. — A mounted
specimen of the familiar little horned screech owl from 7-J to 10 inches
long may be seen at Lewis's. xVs it is an owl of the low coimtry, its
quavering crj^ should be listened for at night hy campers along the
edges of the park.
"Western Horned Owl: BuIjo virginianus occidentalis. — The
great liorned owl should be looked for in the more open parts of the
park. Its nesls may be found on old hawk nests, in hollow trees, or
in caverns in the cliffs. It is one of the most spectacular birds of
the park. On a moonlight night, one has been seen sitting on the
bridge over the Swiftcurrent at
Many Glaciers, and at manj^ a
camp in the mountains the
loud hooting has brought a
thrill of keen satisfaction to the
lovers of the forest.
Arctic Horned Owl: Bubo
rlrginianus subarcticus. — In the
winter of 1916-17, Mr. Bryant
reports, so many Arctic horned
owls were seen that " it seemed
like a flight." Every few years,
he saj's, the owls come in num-
bers.
Snowt Owl: Nyctea nyc-
tea, — The circumpolar hornless
snowy owls, pure white, or
white marked with black, some
of which come into the United
States in the Avinter, have been
seen by Mr. Gird in January and February along the border of the
park. In the winter of 1910-17, Mr. Brj'ant says, quite a number
were seen.
Hawk Owl: Smmia ulula caparocJi. — The hawk owl, which is a
medium-sized northern owl, has been found in Montana in summer
and should be carefully looked for. Strictly diurnal, it often watches
for its prey from the top of a dead tree in bright sunlight, and with
swift, hawklike flight pitches down from its high perch nearly to the
ground, and after capturing its prey rises quickly again to its tree
top. Seen close by, its light face is encircled by a heavy black ring,
and its underparts are closely barred.
On the Yellow JNIountain ridge, between the forks of Kennedy
Greek, on August 9 we saAV what Mr. Bailey took for a hawk owl, a
From Handbook of Birds of the Western United States,
Flo. GO. — Ilorned owl.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XXXI.
(. ulli 1 1 S 1 1 J
\ (.1 Lll ri \ii i ' 1 ■-<>( I TH^
BELTED KINGFISHERS.
Upper figure, female; lowerfigure, male.
yi-^uy€PT-^^G}c:a:^wm
BIRDS. 157
bird with long wings and white spots flying swiftly down from the
spires of nn old burn. Mr. Bryant has shot it on top of high peaks
and thinks that it breeds in the Park. Dr. Grinnell saw one, as he
remembers, in 1891 in the St. Mary Lake woods, and in January,
1913, Mr. Stevenson saw what he describes as " a small owl with a
long tail " in the timber of a mountain top. On June 16, 1895, Messrs.
Bailey and Howell imported a female shot at Summit, when " feeding
in a marshy tract, watching its prey from the tojos of dead trees." In
the winter of 1899-1900 ^fr. Higginson reported one shot by Charles
Olson on the ridge back of his cabin, where it was busily eating a
Franklin grouse.
EocKT Mountain Ptgmt Owl: GlaMcidium gnoma pinicola. — •
A mounted specimen of the hornless pygmy owl, only 6 or 7 inches
long, in the collection of Mr. Liebig, came from Lake McDonald, and
Mr. Bryant thinks it nests in the park, where it should be looked
for mainly in the pines and on dead trees. Although diurnal, this
tiny owl is more commonly seen at dusk or in the early morning
in September or October around the border of the prairie patches on
the west side of the Park. Mr. Bryant writes : " On a fine sunny day
the pygmy owl will often perch on the topmost twig of some tall
larch, and morning and evening give a peculiar but pleasing sort of
whistle." The white-headed lumberjacks " can mock them perfectly,"
he says, and he adds, " Many times when I thought I was about to
collect a pygmy I have come face to face with the jack."
Order COCCYGES: Cuckoos, Kingfishers, etc.
Family ALCEDINIDiE: Kingfishers.
Belted Kingfisher: StreftoceryJe alcyon alcyon. — The bluish-
gray kingfisher is quite common in the park, along creeks where
there are fish. It was seen on Kennedy Creek, Belly Eiver, the
North Fork of the Flathead, and Lake McDonald, and one came
flying up the sharp turns of the Swiftcurrent when we were camped
below Many Glaciers, where the high banks of the creek offered good
nesting sites. Just the right kind of soil is needed for the nest,
which is above high-water mark, at the end of a laboriously exca-
vated horizontal tunnel five or six feet long.
In the park where harlequin ducks and water ouzels are the famil-
iars of the waterfalls and rapids along the mountain streams, the
rattle of the kingfisher is heard with a start, associated as it usually
is with placid pasture brooks and quiet lake shores.
158
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
Order PICI: Woodpeckers, etc.
Family PICID^: Woodpeckers.
IvocivY MoTJXTAix Hairt "Woodpecker : Btyobates villosus monti-
cola. — The Eocky Mountain form of the black and white hairy wood-
jiecker with the red patcli at the back of its crown, one of tlie nicsi:
useful destroj^ers of wood borers, was reported by Mr. H. C. Bryant,
of California, from Iceberg Lake, July 27, and McDonald Creek,
July 31, 1917, and the following April Mr. Bailey noted it at intervals
from Lake McDonald to the Kintla Lakes. In 1895 several were
noted and one taken ]>y Messrs. Bailej^ and Howell at St. Mary Lake.
Batchelder "Woodpecker : Dvyohates fubescens homorus. — The
smidl familiar note of this downy Avoodpecker may often be heard
when the little black and white form is
hidden in the shadows of the forest. It
was seen at St. Mary chalet, Bellj' Eiver,
and Lake McDonald, and Mr. Stevenson
records it from Swiftcurrent Creek.
Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker:
Plcoides arcticus. — A woodpecker recog-
nized by his yellow crown patch as a three-
toed, and hy his solid black back as an
Arctic three-toed, was seen in the woods
near Lake Josephine. In June, 1895,
Messrs. Bailey and Howell reported the
birds as quite common on the west slope,
mostly in the burnt timber, and in the
winter of 1899-1900 Mr. Higginson found
them " in great abundance " around Stan-
ton Lake, near the western border of the park, " on the ridges and
in the river bottoms." In April, 1918, Mr. Bailey saw them in many
of the old burns in the valley of the North Fork of the Flathead,
heaps of bark scales often marking the base of some dead tamarack
where they had been feeding.
As the great Ijulk of the food of the three-toed woodpeckers con-
sists of the lar\'a» of wood borers, they rank among the most im-
portant conservators of the coniferous forests.
Alaska Tiiree-toed Woodpecker : Picotdes americanus fasciafus. —
By the trail near Baring Falls, at Going-to-the-Sun Camp, hearing a
soft tapping on the side of a spruce stub I discovered a woodpecker
with the 3'ellow patch above his bill that names him a three-toed, and
a white stripe down his back, barred with black, which gives him the
name of " ladder-back."
From BioloEical Survey.
Fig. G1. — Arctic three-toed
woodpecker.
wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XXXII.
From Bureau ol Biological Survey.
WILLIAMSON SAPSUCKERS.
Left figure, female; right figure, male.
BIRDS.
159
With quick, masterful blows, now from the left, now from the
light, sometimes steadying himself with a strong foot, he would send
the bark scales flying. But when the hole of the borer was uncovered,
after digging straight down, he would carefully pull out the delec-
table larva. He paid little heed to me, and when a guide with goat-
skin chaparrajoes rode rapidly by down the trail he merely sidled
around to the back of the tree trunk.
A number of other Alaska three-toes were seen during the summer,
notably on the Swiftcurrent, near Many Glaciers, at (jlenn Lake, on
the Kootenai Trail, and at Lake McDonald. On the Swiftcurrent Pass
Trail one flew from an old bum, and another, crossing the trail ahead
of us, became so absorbed in picking on an old log that he let us ride
up within a few feet of him. On the Piegan Pass Trail near Many
Glaciers in a windfall where uprooted trees and twisted-off trunks
made a confused tangle, letting in the light, between the trees cob-
web bridges caught the sun, and the sunlit spaces below were filled
with beds of fresh green ferns, hellebore, and bright yellow arnicas.
Here a family of j'oung three-toes were
living, in early July. Short-billed and
short-tailed, the little fellows called in
monotonous iteration, as if to keep their
parents informed of their whereabouts,
and at intervals announced with sudden
emphasis the arrival of a meal. At Lake
McDonald, the last of August, an old
Picoides was seen with its young one on
an old tamarack, the young one still call-
ing in infantile tones.
Eed->^aped Sapsuckee: S phyrapieus
varius nuchalis. — The red-naped sap-
sucker — whose red crown and nuchal patch are separated by a
black area and whose chest is black between the red throat and
pale lemon-yellow belly — is said by Mr. Bryant to nest in lodgepole
pines. The work of sapsuckers — bands of small holes girdling the
trees — was seen in a number of places.
Williamson Sapsucker: Sphyrajncus thyroideus natalke. — Like
other sapsuckers, the Williamson, which is notable for the strikingly
different plumage of the sexes — the female brown barred and the
male black, red, white, and yellow — is found in the lower levels of
the park. It was reported by Mr. H. C. Bryant, of California, from
Lake Ellen Wilson, July 21 ; Reynolds Creek, July 23 ; and McDonald
Creek, July 3L
Northern Pileated Woodpecker : Fhlaotomus pnleatus picinus. — •
Laro-est and most notable of all the woodpeckers of the North, the
From Biological Survey.
Fig. 62. — Northern
woodpecker.
pileated
160
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
UTeat pileated, with its black body and fed-crested head, shoidd be
loolied foi' diligently. While it is a rare, shy bird, its presence
may be guessed by its hammering, its loud: chuch-chuch-chuch-chuck-
chvch-chucl'-ehuck, and by its borings — excavations, often two feet
long, made in the soft, decaj'ed wood of old trees. Borings were seen
Photograph by Robert B. RockwoU-
Fir,. fi.'H. — A family of recl-sliaftod flickeri5.
in various places in the park, and near Sun Camp Mr. Bailey saw one
of the great birds at work. Mr. Stevenson reports the pileated from
the North Fork of the Flathead, and Mr. Bryant says it nests in the
tamaracks on the west side.
Eed-iieaded Woodpecker : Melaner-pes eri/throccphaluK. — The red-
headed should be carefully distinguished from other woodpeckers
BIRDS. 161
haTm<? red patches on the head. In the red-head the entire head
iind neck down to the white breast and the bhick back is crimson, and
the rinnp and a wide patch near the ends of the win^s are solid wliite.
Mr. Gibb thinks he has seen it on Belly River and Kennedy Creek,
and a few around St. Mary Lake and Lake McDermott, and reports
it from Belton, in winter. Mr. Stevenson also records it from the
west side of the park.
Lewis Woodpecker: Asyndesmus levrisi. — Mr. Stevenson writes
that he has seen the Lewis woodpecker — with iridescent greenish
black upperparts, gray collar, crimson face, and rose-pink l^elly — on
the North Fork of the Flathead ; and Mr. Liebig writes that he once
secured three specimens at the head of Lake McDonald and one near
Belton.
Red-shafted Flicker : Colaptes cafcr coUaris. — Flickers were fre-
quentl}^ seen in early August on the level floor of the horse pasture
below Many Glaciers; as usual, looking for ants on the ground.
When they rose they showed the rich salmon wing linings which
have given them their name. The golden-shafted flicker is recorded
by Mr. Bryant from the Flathead Valley, and in 1895 Messrs. Bailey
and Howell secured a specimen at the L^pper St. Mary Lake which
was a typical red-shafted except for its head and neck, which were
like those of the golden-shafted.
The red-shafted were seen in a number of places, mainly in the
lower parts of the park, such as St. Mary Lake, the Swiftcurrent
Flats, Belly River, Lake McDonald, and the open areas along the
North Fork from Dutch Creek to Kintla Creek, especially at the
Adair ranch and on the Big Prairie section, but they were also seen
in the Kootenai Pass, August 22, and heard by Mr. Bryant at Iceberg
Lake July 28, 1917. Mr. Stevenson reports finding a number of nests
in the park.
Order MACROCHIRES : Nighthawks, Swifts, and
Hummingbirds.
Family CHORDEILID/E: Nighthawks.
Pacific Nighthawk: Chordeiles minor he.tperis. — Nighthawks
have been noted in the park by Mr. Gibb and Mr. Stevenson, and
also by Mr. Bryant, who has found them in the prairie patches along
the North Fork of the Flathead.
Early in July, from the western windows of Glacier Park Hotel
at sunset one of the slender-winged birds was seen tilting about
in the purple middle distance between the hotel and the mountains,
getting his evening meal. A montl- Inter, while watching the fish
162
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIEB NATIONAL PAEK.
hawk's nest on the Swiftcurrent at sunset, the sound of j)eent, pee-
auh, delighted mj' ear — here was a nighthawk inside the parlv at
hist! Still l)etter, there were two, tilting and pitching about, show-
ing their white wing bands. Creatures of air and sky, it seemed
rarel_y fitting that they should be here to explore the purple heights
and golden summits. On they went up toward the glacial basins of
Grinnell and Swiftcurrent, dark and somber now, but with buffy
clouds above their peaks, and lines of gilding and touches of light
vivifying the picture.
The only other nighthawks seen by us in the park were flying about
near the International Boundary — a wide green swath down the for-
ested side of the mountains — the unfortified, unguarded line where
brother meets brother under the open sky.
Photograph by E. R. Warren.
Fig. 64. — Nighthawk.
Family MICROPODID^: Swifts.
Vaux SwirT : Chatura vauxL — Three swifts, with their bony out-
line and irregular, batlike flight, were seen July 8 near Many
Glaciers, twittering softly as they flew high through the skj.
AA^iiiTE-TiiROATED SwiFT : Ah'onciutes inelanoleucus. — Mr. Gird
thinks he has seen a swift with white underneath on the North Fork
of the Flathead and about Hanshaws Ford, three miles from the foot
of Bowman Lake ; and in June, 1895, Messrs. Bailey and Howell re-
ported " one seen at Paola and a pair at Columbia Falls."
Family TROCHILID^: Hummingbirds.
Black-chinned Humjiingbird : Archilochus aJexandri. — Both Mr.
Bryant and Mr. Stanford record the Hummingbird " with the black
gorget." Mr. Bryant says that years ago he shot several of them.
BIEDS.
163
Handbook of Western Birds
(Fuertcs).
05. — RufoiTs hum-
mingbird.
Broad - tailed Hummingbird : Selasphorus plafycercys. — Two
broad-tailed hummingbirds were collected hy Messrs. Bailey and
Howell in 1895, a female taken May 23 in the spruce woods near
the Upper St. Mary Lake, and a male with rose-pink gorget and
bronzjr green head taken June 17 at Summit.
Rufous Hummingbird : Selasjthoms rvfuft. — The reddish-brown
hummingbird whose gorget flashes fire red, orange, and brassy green
Avas seen July 8 on a telephone wire near the
tepees at Many Glaciers, and Mr. Gibb said
one had come to the piazza at his ranger sta-
tion. One was also seen about the lake on June
29, 1913, by Mr. E. R. Warren. Xt Granite
Park Mr. Bailey saw one on July IT, and on
the pass between Gable and Chief Mountains
on August 9, 1 caught a flash of rufous as one
came up from below and wdiizzed on across
the pass. In June, 1895, Messrs. Bailey and
Howell reported quite a number seen and one
shot at about 5,000 feet on the mountain
near Nyack.
Hummingbirds are said to be found close to the glaciers, and the
mountain flower beds should be watched for them. Spirited little
knights of Tournay, with flashing armor and lances at rest, they
may well afford rare entertainment for spectators.
Calliope Hummingbird: Stellula calliope. —
This little hummingbird, one of the smallest
found in the United States, with pink gorget
and sides tinged with brown and green, should
be looked for, as it is a mountain-loving species
frequenting mountain parks and rocky hill-
sides from 6,500 to 8,000 feet during the nest-
ing season. At Fort Sherman, Idaho, its
arrival is said to be coincident with the bloom-
ing of the wild hawthornc.
At Granite Park on July 17 a hummingbird,
with the soft flight of calliope, darted into a
white-barked pine in front of the chalet; but, unfortunately, before
it could be examined, darted out again and was gone.
There is one definite record for the park, however, as a female was
collected May 31, 1895, by Messrs. Bailey and Howell at the Upper
St. Mary Lake. Mr. Stanford has also heard of the bird, though he
has never seen it himself.
From Rjdgway. Smithsonian Inst,
Fig. 6G. — Calliope hum-
mingbird.
164 WILD AKIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
Order PASSERES : Perching Birds.
Family TYRANNID^: Tyrant Flycatchers.
Kingbird: Tyrannus tyrannus tyranniis. — The- familiar kingbird
Avith the white unclerparts and white tail band is recorded Ijj' Mr.
Brj^ant from the parli along the iSTortb Fork of the Flathead. He
says it breeds but is not common anj'-
where in the park or in the northern part
of Flathead Count}-.
Olive-sided Flycatcher : Nuttallovnis
horealis. — One of the characteristic notes
of the forested mountains is the plaintive
pew-jnp, pew-peio-pe' -oh, peto-pip, peio-
pew-pc'-oh. It was heard in a number
of places in the park, and one of the birds
was seen August 19, at the Reynolds Cabin
From Biological Survey. Lakes, iieaL Watertou Lake, sitting char-
FiG. 07.— Kingbird. ■ , ■ ii , ,. •
acteristicaliy on top of an evergreen spire,
its white median line showing between the dark graj' of its sides
as it raised its head to give its sweet call. On the southwestern
boundary of the park, from Java to Belton, in June, 1895, Messrs.
Bailey and Howell found it in the dead timber ranging to tim-
berline.
Western Wood Pewee : Myiochanes richardsoni richardsoni. — In
June, 1895, at the upper St. Mary Lake, Messrs. Bailey and Howell
collected one pewee and saw one or two more ; and from Summit
westward along the boundary line of the park a few others were
seen.
The pewee is a bird that is easily overlooked, as its gray plumage
renders it inconspicuous and its quiet call — given as tioeer or deer —
can be heard only near at hand. Like the eastern wood pewee, it sits
erect watching for passing insects, when one appears, darting out,
snapping it up and circling back again to its perch.
Western Flycatcher: Emp>ulona.n difflcviis dificilis. — A small
flycatcher taken for the Avestern was heard, July 10, above Lake
Josephine and two having the characteristic dull yellow underparts
were seen July .30 near Gmisight Lake, and August 28 on the Camas
Lake Trail above Lake McDonald.
Traill Flycatcher : Empidonax trailli trailli} — A small graj' fly-
catcher with white chin, gray breast, and v^'hite wing bars, was seen
in several places in the park among the willows, where its pip, pip,
and its explosive ha-wcc'-wr were heard as it circled out from its
perch to snap up passing insects.
^ Formerly the Alder Flycatcher, EiiipUJonax traiUl alnonini.
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XXXIII.
''Jl/Q ^jtiiUj^^^e/',^^
I'rcm Handbook or Birds ol the Western United States.
BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES.
.51140°— IS 14
,0
o\-
,u
^ac:
c
;;/\W\^
E?^oH'
P^,
BIRDS. 165
Hammond Flycatcher: Emi>idona,e hammondl{?) . — Mr. H. C.
Bryant, of California, saw an Empidonax July 31, 1917, that he took
to be hainviondi in " some open woods near Lewis's on Lake Mc-
Donald."
Family ALAUDID^: Larks.
Desert Horned Lark: Otocorls alpestris leucolcemci. — Mr. Bryartt^^
has seen horned larks at Belton on the railroad track in fall, but never
in the park. Mr. Stevenson, howevei', has seen them on the high
barren ridges of the park, and says they are com-
mon outside on the dry plains to the east. On
April 15, 1918, Mr. Baile)' saw two on the Big
Prairie of the North Fork, where there were
open fields suitable for breeding grounds.
Family CORVID^: Crows, Jays, Magpies.
Fig. (J8. — Uorurd lark.
Magpie : Pica pica liudsonla. — The magpie,
with its striking black and white plumage, long
gTaduated tail, and loud, strenuous voice, is one of the spectacular
birds of the region, but the only ones seen by us were outside the
boundary of the park, near the upper St. INIary Lake, although they
are said to come up into the park for exposed garbage. The bulk of
them, Mr. Biwant says, enter the park in September and leave the
last of March. In fall and winter he has seen them on the prairie
patches along the North Fork of the Flathead.
Black-headed Jat: Cyanocitta stelleri anncctens. — The high-
crested, black-headed blue jay is one of the handsomest, most domi-
nant birds of the pine forests, dashing around and flying from tree to
tree, calling loudly as he goes. For this reason the apparent decrease
in his numbers in the park is striking. In 1887 Dr. Grinnell said that
in the St. Mary Lakes region the jays were common in the pine forest
up to the rocks ; and in 1895 Messrs. Bailey and Howell observed them
at timberline and in the spruce timber on the side of Kootenai Moun-
tain, and reported them common from Java to Belton. In the winter
of 1899-1900 Mr. Higginson reported them very abundant in the
Stanton Lake region, staying most of the time on the high ridges.
But during the two months that we spent in traversing the park Ave
saAV them in only four localities — at a lumber camp at the head of Lake
Joseplime, near Waterton Lake, at the Eeynolds Cabin, and on the
Camas Lake Trail above Lake McDonald ; and on Mr. Bailey's return
to the west side of the park in April, he saAV only one — at Belton.
Perhaps, like the eagles, they have been accidentally caught by
the fur trappers.
166
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PAKK.
In winter, Mr. Gibb told us, the handsome birds liave come to Iiis
ranger cabin for food, getting so tame that if the door were left
open they would come inside.
EocKY Mountain Jay: Perisoreus canadensis oapltalis. — The big
fluffy camp bird, or lumber jack, when met with in the park was
sometimes on guard, slipping through the tree tops and sailing
down across an open space Avith short wings and long tail outspread in
absolute silence, but when off guard it flew about giving A'ent to its
feelings in a most surprising variety of loud, strange calls. The
hunter who names the jay " moose bird " complains that " he bothers
Photograph by E. R. AVarrpn.
Fig.
GO. — Rocky Mountaiu j;iy.
a fellow stalking game^geta up in a tree and bawls you out — every-
thing in the counti'y knows you are around." Where game has been
killed, as Mr. Higginson says, the jays seem to gather like buzzards
to feed off the meat, becoming so tame they will allow a close ap-
proach. They have been found storing food by Dr. Grinnell, putting
it in moss near the ends of branches of tall firs and spruces.
In Avinter Mr. Gibb has had these familiar friends of the forest
come to his ranger cabin, where they became so tame and persistent
that it was hard to keep the coveted meat from them. They got so
expert that they could pry off the lid of a granite bucket and, chat-
tering while they worked, actuallj^ untied the knot in a string Avith
which Mrs. Gibb had fastened on tjre lid.
BIRDS. 167
Eaven : Corvus corax sinuatus. — The nivens, while not becoming
tame lilie tlie camp jays, are said to come around the reclamation
camps for food. At Stanton Lake Mr. Higginson found them very
common winter visitors "round the deer offal in the river bottoms
and also quite a frequent visitor at the lake." He says, " We used to
hear their mournful croak as they sailed over us at all times, but they
seemed to be particularly attached to the river bottoms, and it was
there that I saw most of them. They were wary and shy to a degree."
Like the jays they are on the lookout for game. As an old hunter
said, " Go out in a canyon and kill a deer, and these buggers will
come," and he added that "they will circle around when meat is
being dressed." The Blackfeet, he told us, " instead of hanging
up their meat as other hunters do, hide it on the ground, and to
protect it from the ravens and coyotes take a stick that will peel off
white and sharpen the end of it, and after dressing the deer stripe
the stick with blood like a barber's pole, and lay it alongside the
meat. This they have done for generations and generations."
The ravens are common on the west slope of the mountains, Mr.
Stevenson says, and seen occasionally on the east slope. The only
two seen by us during the summer were flying from the park across
Belton. Three were seen by Mr. Bryant, of California, flying over
Lincoln Pass. " While they were in sight," he says, " several mar-
mots in the vicinity seemed greatly disturbed, each standing erect
and giving his loud piercing whistle." In April, 1018, INIr. Bailey
saw and heard them from Lake McDonald up the North Fork valley
to the Kintla Lakes, especially where coj'otes had been killing deer.
Western Ceow: Comts hrachyrhynchos hesperis. — A pair of
crows were seen at their nest July 5 at Glacier Park, and a flock
seen July 7 between Glacier Park and St. Mary Lake. They were
also seen on the Sherburne Lake Flats and north of the Alberta
boundary. They are said by Mr. Gibb to stay in the park from
earlj' spring until late fall.
Clark Nutcracker: Nucif^uga coluvibiaiui. — At Many Glaciers,
when the automobile stages are drawn up before the door, one of the
strongly marked Clark crows, or nutcrackers, may be caught sight
of, glancing back warily as he flies away over the tree tops; or in one
of the lower valleys, such as the Swiftcurrent, he may be seen cross-
ing with strong direct flight from ridge to ridge of the landscape;
but at such places as Granite Park or Iceberg Lake, as on rocky
slopes among the timberline dwarfs, he is foimd at home, his loud
har'r'r'r sounding through the clear mountain air as he goes about
hmiting for cone seeds in the pine tops. Flying in straight as a
i-uler he will often curve up to the spire and light with a steadying
flash of his black and white tail.
168
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PAEK.
At Iceberg Lake, while a party of us were lunching among the
dwarf balsams, a family of the nutcrackers came into the trees on the
edge of our circle. When we were discovered the weak-voiced though
grown young were apparently taken oif by themselves, after which
the old ones returned with the air of being accustomed to sharing
meals with their vihitors. One of them, encouraged by his reception,
flew down and picked up half a slice of bread, returning to his tree
with it. As he started to lay it down on a branch, one of the ladies
cried out in consternation, " He's going to drop it ! "
" Not much, he Avouldn't drop it for a farm," one of the men
assiu-ed her, following with a dissertation on the thrifty bird's
Photograph by E. R. Warren,
Fifi. 7(1.-
-A Clark uu(<'rackiT in tno niurh uf a hurry.
storing habits. All eyes wei'e fixed on the big black and white form
of the visitor, and when at last he carefidly laid the slice of bread on
the green shelf the troubled lady cried out with relief, " Now he's got
it stored!"
A few moments later — our attention having been diverted — we
looked back just in time to see a nutcracker come in, pick up the
bread, and fly off with it.
" She swiped his bread ! " one of the men exclaimed. But was it
the suspected spouse, or had her lord, thinking of a safer place for
his treasure, slijaped back quietly to remove it* Let us give the lady
the benefit of the doubt. Among other dainty morsels accepted by
BIRDS.
169
one or the other of our guests at the lunch hour was part of a tongue
sandwich.
The nutcrackers' more natural feeding habits are described by Mr.
Higginson from Stanton Lake, where he spent the winter. " They
were common," he wrote, " on the high ridges and seen frequently at
our camp, but never lower down. They were for the most part in
flocks of from six to a dozen, sometimes in pairs, but never apparently
single. Often during a cold afternoon one Avonld hear their harsh
cry and going out of the cabin find a little liunch at work on one of
the large fir trees which were near by. TTnlike the jays, they usually
began at the top of the trees and worked down to the bottom. If
distiu'bed, they would fly off to the nearest dead tree and, sitting on
its topmost limbs, utter their opinion of us in very powerful lan-
guage."
Family ICTERIDiE: Blackbirds, etc.
Sagebrush Cowbied : Molotliruft afcr artemJs'w. — In the horse pas-
ture of Many Glaciers 13 cowbirds were seen July 11 walking about
among a group of horses, rising and
following as they started away. In
the wooded creek bottom near bv, a
striped female in the top of a dead
spruce called loudly until her brown-
headed, glossy black mate joined her;
Avhen thejr sat looking around while
a 3'ellow warbler and a Maryland
j^ello-w-throat sang. Were the soi'ry
pair, in search of orphanages, taking
notes? Here were two small birds
in whose nests an extra egg or two
might safely be left. Were they waiting for the songsters to go to
their nests or merely locating the families before making a detaded
inspection of likely bushes ?
The rope corral at camp where our horses were fed attracted
the cowbirds, and when we broke camp one of them followed
our pack outfit for more than a mile. At a subsequent camp on
Belly Eiver two other cowbirds made themselves at home in the
corral, nonchalantly perching on the backs of the horses. By
going about among" such a bunch of horses with which there were
cowbirds, Mr. Stevenson once succeeded in taming two of the birds so
that they would take flies and mosquitoes from his hand.
Thick-billed Eedwing: Agelaius phmniceuH fortls.—'Neixv the
Sherburne Lake flood land I heard what I took to be the o-ka-lee
of a redwing on August 4, but none of the birds Avere seen.
From Biological Survey.
Fig. 71.— Red-winged blackbird.
Mr.
ITO
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER KATIOKAL PARK.
1 Handbook ot Birds of the Western United States.
Fig. 72. — Mradowlark.
Stevenson says it is " rare, but noted," and Mr. Gird records it from
the swamps of the North Forlv of the Flathead, and also the
Bellj' River country.
W E s T E R X JSIead-
owlaek: Sturnella
neglecta neglecta. —
The meadovrlark,
■with his handsome
black- collared yel-
low breast and his
protectively colored
brown-streaked back,
is rare in the park,
though seen between
]\Iany Glaciers and
the St. Mary Lakes and reported from the Sherburne Lake Flats,
Belly Eiver, and the North Fork of the Flathead. One was seen
years ago by ]\Ir. Bryant
at Ernest Christianson's
ranch on Camas Creek
at Thanksgiving, and
Mr. Christianson has
told him of one winter-
ing in his hay sheds.
On April 18, 1918, Mr.
Bailey heard meadow-
larks singing in the
fields at the Adair ranch,
south of Logging Creek,
but apparently they had
not yet reached the Big
Prairie country.
Brewer Blackbird:
E up hag us cyanoceph-
alufi. — The only black-
birds seen by us were
just outside the bounda-
ries of the park in one
of the valleys a few
miles north of Glacier
Park Hotel and on the
Belly Piver north of the
International Boundary,
but both were so near the lino that the birds would very likely have
come into the park. Mr. Bryant reports them from ^the prairie
PhotoKraphcd by E. R. Warren.
Fid. 73. — Brewer bhickbird.
BIRDS.
171
patches along the North Fork of the Flathead, and Mr. E. R. "Warren
on June 20. 1913, saw them at St. Mary Lake.
Family FRINGILLIDiE: Finches, Sparrows, etc.
Western Eveking Grosbeak: Ilesperiphona respcrtina Tjrookf<i. —
The yellowish green underparts, bright yellow forehead, and olive
back of the grosbeak, set off by his black inarkings, identify him
unmistakably even when his large yellowish green seed-cracking
beak can not be seen, and he should be watched for in the park, as
he is said to breed in the region. On July 2 and 4, 1913, INIr. "Warren
saw four at Belton, and on July 17, 1917, Mr. II. C. Bryant, of
California, saw a pair around the Belton chalets. The birds were
also said to have come to the cottages
at Lewis's for food, much to the enjoy-
ment of the visitors. Mr. E. S. Bry-
ant thinks they are most plentiful in
the spring migration, but says they
breed some years fairly commonly and
are seen throughout the year. He has
seen them feeding young at Columbia
Falls, and Mr. Stanford says they bred
at Kalispell in the summer of 1917.
Mr. Stanford adds that both grosbeaks
and Bohemian waxwin
feed ai'ound town all
Bryant has seen them in late winter
in such places as alder bottoms. At
Stanton Lake, in the winter of 1899-1900, JNIr. Higginson saw onlj'
one small flock. On April 11, 1918, Mr. Bailey saw one at the lower
end of Lake McDonald.
EocKY Mountain Pine Grosbeak : Plnlcola enucleator montana. —
A bird taken for the pine grosbeak, which is larger than the evening
grosbeak and carmine red in full adult plumage, was heard singing
high on a dead tree on the Camas Lake Trail on August 28, 1917. Mr.
Gibb says he has seen it in the park in summer, and Mr. Bryant
thinks it nests there. Mr. Stevenson reports it as rather a common
bird of the winter months, and Mr. Bryant has found it along the
alders in the bottoms after heaA^y snowstorms, although in clear, cold
weather as late as February he has found it at 7,000-foot levels. Mr.
Gibb has had the birds come to his ranger cabin for food in winter,
and as they were tame and unsuspicious they made delightful winter
pets. Mr. B. N. Gephart reports that they are abundant all winter
about his place on the Camas Creek Eidge, as many as fifty often
being seen on his doorstep.
generallj^
winter. Mr.
From Biolotiicnl Survey. (Fucrtes.)
Fig. 74. — Evening grosbeak.
172
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
From his Stanton Lake camp Mr. Higginson wrote : " I had been
on the lookout for these birds all winter, but without seeing any until
January 29. On that day I walked out of my cabin to find the small
pine trees occupied by about 20. From this time on they were very
plentiful, and I took a number of specimens varying in plumage from
the 3'oung gray birds to the old dark red males. Some flocks I found
low down in small trees, but for the most part they Avere in the tall fir
trees that bordered the edge of the lake." In the fall of 1887 Dr.
Grinnell found the pine grosbeaks quite abundant in the mountains
about Eed Eagle and Cut Bank, " many singing sweetly, even during
snowstorms." On April 10. 1918, Mr. Bailey heard them singing at
Belton, and one was seen and heard, April 19, near Dutch Creek.
Cassin Purple Finch : Carpodacwi
cassini. — A pair of the Cassin finches,
the male dull pinkish with a square
crimson crown patch, and the female
brown and streaked, were found at
Granite Park in the middle of July
singing around the chalet and pick-
ing up
horses.
■Cia**^
grain spilled by the saddle
Doubtless the same pair were
seen there by Mr. H. C. Brj^ant, of Cali-
fornia, the last of July.
Crossbill: Loxia curvttostra hendirei. — A large parti-colored
flock — some red. some yellowish, and some striped — were seen July
From Handbook of Western Birds.
Fig. 75. — Cassin purple lincti.
Copyright by 11, & E. Pittman.
Fi(j. 70. — CroysbiUs.
BIEDS. 173
18 in the wooded basin below tlie chalet at Granite Park going
around from tree top to tree top in search of the cones whose seeds
their sharply pointed crossed bills enable them to extract with dex-
terity. The metallic himp Idm^) of the crossbills was heard in a
number of places — Many Glaciers, Going-to-the-Sun Camp, Black-
feet Glacier Amphitheater, Waterton Lake, Eeynolds Cabin Lakes,
Kootenai Pass, and Lake McDonald. On April 21, 1918, Mr. Bailey
heard crossbills about Lewis's Hotel.
In 1900, Mr. Bryant says, there were more crossbills than he has
ever seen, but their numbers decreased steadily for several years
afterwards. On May 30, 1895, Messrs. Bailey and Howell reported a
flock of fourteen flying over the woods near Red Eagle Lake.
"Wi-iiTE-wixoED Crossbill: Loxia leucoptera. — ]Mr. Bryant has
found the white-wing feeding j^oung, and saj^s it undoubtedly breeds
at times in the park. From 1900-1902, he says, the birds were in
the park in great numbers along with the common crossbill.
Geat-crowxed Leucosticte: Leucosticte
tephrocotis tephrocotis. — The summer home of
the rare leucosticte or rosy finch is above ptar-
migan slopes, among bare rocks such as the
Garden Wall, and the rock piles of passes and
summits where conies and marmots live ; for in
niches protected from the wind these hard,y
birds find shelter for themselves and their
young. Outside few people ever see (he delight-
ful birds, for the search for them records long,
hard climbs to lofty mountain peaks; but in i-™- "-if-.k "/J-"- B.r<i=.
the park, the trails over the passes leading by fio- 77. — Gray-.rownod
the ptarmigan slopes take one almost to the
homes of the rosy finches, and by listening for loud, raucous calls
and watching for wind-blown figures around the peaks, one may
occasionally be able to locate them.
At Gunsight Pass, attracted by their calls, we found them flying
around the pinnacles above the trail, where there was a rare view
down the grim canyon and over the smooth, green waters of Lake
Ellen Wilson to the hazy ridges beyond the park.
In Piegan Pass a pair of the birds were found on the south slope
feeding young and flying back and forth from the first dwarf spruces
below the pass to the broken rocks of the diorite ridge on the crest
above the pass, where perhaps some of the brood still lingered near
the nest. A couple of days later a brood was seen on the warm
south slope along the trail, where pipits were also feeding young
and an old ptarmigan was leading around a brood. Busily hunting
for tiny seeds and small insects, the rosy finches raised their caps so
1Y4 'P r'"-M\^ILD ^^Tiff^i^^aF' GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
often that tlio gray border made a good field character, and now and
then a deeply notched tail or a bright pink wing patch showed
clearly. Back and forth across the trail they flew, now hunting over
the grassy flower-strewn ground, now examining the dwarf firs, and
now hunting over the great snowbank on the side of Piegan Moun-
tain.
On Kootenai Pass leucostictes were also found, but of all the rare
summits on which these birds of the peaks were seen perhaps the
best was in the Boundary ]\Iountains. A family of five Avere flushed
here from a ridge whose summit was crowned by a monument mark-
ing the International Boundary, and near which a green swath
through the forest divided British Columbia and Alberta. Here,
where the mountains of the park reach their culminating grandeur,
lofty peaks and ranges are gathered in such close conclave as to
suggest a council of chiefs from north, south, east, and west. The
broad seamed face of Agassiz glacier, the rough cascaded front of
Kintla Glacier, with Kintla Peak towering 4,000 feet above its lake ;
snow patches, glaciers, looming peaks, ridge close behind ridge, and
below, a mantle of dark timber — such was the chosen home of
Leucosticte.
Hardy mountaineers, in spring while the mountain tops are still
buried under snow, thej- may be found in the low mountain valleys ;
but in late fall they have been found high up in the mountains, and
seen in the valleys only in the worst snowstorms.
Eedpoll: Acanth/s linaria Unana. — A specimen of this redpoll
with crimson crown, black chin, and streaked body was given us by
]SIr. Bryant, who said that in the spring one would think the Flat-
head Eiver the main avenue of travel north for the j uncos and red-
polls of all Xorth America. JNIr. Gibb has seen redpolls in the park
in winter.
From Stanton Lake, in the winter of 1900, ]\Ir. Pligginson wrote :
" Toward the beginning of February we began to hear these bright
little songsters, sounding for all the world like a canary, singing away
on the border of the lake. Just across from the cabin was a little
thicket of alder bushes, and in this thicket the redpolls could almost
always be found. They fed on the buds of this bush and there they
would hang half the time head down stuffing themselves full, and
only stopping every now and then to sing." As Ihe lake is only
about two miles fi'om the pai'k, the birds might easilj' stray across
the boi'der.
Pine Siskin : SplnitH p/iiiif; iiimin. — One of the notes most fre-
<juently heard in the higher parts of the park is the wild s])lit note
(,f the little siskin, the brown-striped cousin of the goldfinch, whicli,
BIKDS. ^^^J/Ji::,a .._^i/- / ;_-. 175
in its undulating flight seems to f:url,y launch itself into the air,
spreading its wings so wide that their yellow patches sliow. At Gun-
sight Lake, from a bear grass alcove between conifers, one day a
siskin answered a brother passing overhead with an almost ])nre gold-
finch — ^canary — note, over and o\'er again; Ijut at last, taking wing it
launched out with the true wild call of its kind. Some that we
watched through the glass seemed to l)e picking small insects from the
needles of the firs, but when, in more usual custom, they hung head
down from the catkins at the tip of the birch branches, they were
doubtless extracting seeds.
At Lake McDonald the last of August, when a family lit on the
broad top of a stub, small Avings fluttered and young voices en-
treated — then all were off in air again. Around the hotel and up the
lake shore, flocks were heard gi\'ing both their own wild notes and
the sweet homelike notes of the goldfinches, and some of the little
birds were seen coming down to the water's edge to drinlc. On Mi-.
Bailey's return to Lake McDonald in April the siskins were coming
to the doorstep of Lewis's for crumbs, often flying into the house.
They were numerous all through the valley of the North Fork of the
Flathead and around the camps and ranches.
Snow Bunting : Plectrophcnax nivalis nivcdis- — The white and
rustjf snowflakes which breed in the circumpolar regions come down
into the northern United States in winter in large flocks, their appear-
ance being considered a " sure sign of snow," and Mr. Gibb says
thousands of them come into the park.
Alaska Longsptje : Calcarius lapponicuH alascensis. — Breeding in
Alaska, the longspurs winter as far south as Colorado and western
Kansas. Large flocks have been noted by Mr. Stevenson in spring,
and they have been seen in fall by Mr. Bryant on the prairie patches
of the North Fork of the Flathead, and on the ridges with the
leucostictes. Snowflakes and pipits are often seen in company with
the longspurs, Mr. Bryant says. He has positively identified only
this one species of longspur — with black foreparts and white belly —
but suspects that a " close examination of the long.spur flock would
reveal some McCown and jDOSsibly chestnut-collared."
Chestnut-collared Longspue: Calcarius ornafus. — The Chestnut-
collared, which breeds from Alberta to Kansas and can be distin-
guished from the Alaska longspur by its black underparts, which
contrast sharply with its white and buffy throat, should be carefully
Avatched for, as Dr. Grinnell thinks he has seen it on the Inlet Flat
between the two St. Mary Lakes, and in June, 1895, Messrs. Bailey
a,nd Howell saw one not far from the park line, and found them
common on the lower plains near Blackfoot.
176 AVILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
McCoAVN LoNGsruR: Rhijncojjharies mecoivn!. — The summer Mc-
Cown, distinguished from the Alaska and the chestnut-collared
longspurs by its black-tipped tail, its rufous shoulder patch, and
crescentic black chest patch, has been suspected by Mr. Bryant in
longspur flocks in the park. Breeding on the Great Plains from
Alberta to Colorado, it has been reported by Dr. Grinnell as very
common close outside the park. "While he writes that he should hesi-
tate to say that he has seen it within the boundaries of the park, he
says: "I have no doubt whatever that it would be taken by anj^one
who looke<l for it on the Inlet Flat, and probaljly also in the valley
of the Swiftcurrent. I remember at times during the migration hav-
ing seen flocks of these various prairie finches upon the Inlet Flat,
and should offhand state with some positiveness that they were made
up of McCown's bunting and the chestnut bunting."
Westekx Vesper Sparrow: Pooicetes grmnlneus confinis. — The
pale, streaked vesper sparrow, marked by white outer tail feathers
and made attractive by its rich, sweet song, was found on the prairies
near the Upper St. Mary Lake, July 22, singing loudly from the low
weeds. Others were seen between St. Mary and Many Glaciers, and
Mr. "Warren found them between Glacier Park Hotel and Bison
Mountain in the small parks, in June, 1913. Mr. Bryant says they
are also found in the prairie patches of the North Fork of the
Flathead.
Western Savannah Sparrow: Passerculus sandwichensw aJaudl-
^a(.s-.— The small, heavily streaked Savannah sparrows with light
stripe through crown and over eye were seen, July 7, between
Glacier Park Hotel and St. Mary Lake; July 21, at the Upper St.
Mary ; August 5, on the Swiftcurrent Flats ; August 13, along Belly
Eiver ; and August 27, above Lake McDonald. They are also reported
by Mr. Bryant from the prairie patches on the west side of the park,
and Mr. Bailey found several of them on Big Prairie. April 18, where
they seemed much at home on the fences and in the grassy fields.
Western Lark Sparrow: Chondestes
grammacus strigatus.— In speaking of
the birds seen on the prairie patches of
the Xorth Fork of the Flathead, Jklr.
Bryant says, " I have never had the bird
in hand, but I am sure I have seen the
western lark sparrow." The chestnut
patch and black and white streaks on
the side of the head, together with the
white tail corners, make it an easy bird
to recognize.
White -CROW NED Sparrow: Zono-
¥rani Biolosical Survey. (Fucrlea). fricllia ICUCOpliryS. TllC ll a n d S O m 6 1 y
Fig. 78.— White-crowned sparrow, marked M'hite-crown is One of the most
BIKDS. 177
abundant and generallj' distributed birds of the parlt, its gTave, sweet
song being heard from the level of the prairie to timberline, and from
the southern entrance of the park to the Canadian boundtry. Its four
slow, clear notes are followed by grace notes that in some renderings
seem rather out of keeping, but in the best renderings seem the neces-
sary counterpart and completion of the first part of the song. Accord-
ing to the setting the song suggests various phrasings, as " Clear
mount' -ain Ijj'ooI', there-it-is ; " '' Oh see' the ft/rs, see-see-see-see.'''' At
Sexton Glacier, where we were studying the glacier front with its
irregularly flattened and compressed annual layers, the song rang in
our ears till it seems to say, " Oh see'' the ice, say-see-see; Oh see' the
ice, say-see-see ;" but where no esi")ecial phrase was suggested by the
landscape, the words " High tip, high nf, see-see" seemed to fit the
cool, grave, uplifted song.
Gambel Sparrow: Zonotrichia gamheli. — On Maj' 27, 1895,
Messrs. Bailey and Howell collected a Gambel sparrow at St. ]\Iary
Lake. While resembling the white-crown very closely, it differs
from it in having the space between the ej^e and the bill white in-
stead of black.
Western Tree Spaeeow: Spizella mont'icola ochracea. — In 18S7
Dr. Grinnell reported the western tree sparrow — which has a black
spot on the unstreaked breast, and the crown and line back of the
eye rufous — as quite abundant during the coldest part of October
in the St. Mary Lakes region.
Western Chipping Spaeeow : Spizella passeinna arizonce. — Eufous-
capped chipping sparrows were seen in many places, especialljr along
the lower edges of the park, notably at Glacier Park Hotel, St. Mary
Lake, Swiftcurrent Flats, Lake McDermott,
Belly River, Crossley Lake, Gunsight Lake,
and Lake McDonald. They are recorded from
the prairie patches on the west side of the park
by Mr. Bryant and were found by INIr. H. C.
Bryant, of California, late in July at Iceberg
Lake.
Montana Junco: J unco oreganus mon-
tanus. — Montana Juncos with slate-colored From Handbook of wcstemBWs.
head, neck, and chest, white belly and brown- ^^"^ pl'n7^p*'ai*i.ow. ''^'^'
ish back, abound in the park, their 'tsip
being frequently heard and their disappearing white outer tail
feathers often seen along the trails. A grown young one was
seen July 8, at Lake McDermott, and two nests were found
by Mr. and Mrs. M. I. Berger— one with three eggs, July 13,
at Sun Camp, and another with six eggs, July 16, near Ice-
178 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
berg Lake. Young just out of the nest were seen by Mr. H. C.
liryant, of California, July 22, near Lake Josephine. The birds were
seen feeding grown young in many j^laees. Mr. Stevenson speaks of
seeing large flocks in spring and fall. While quiet birds that on your
appi'oach liide away in the bushes, the Juncos when sitting undis-
turbed in the sun have a pleasing little song, and their presence adds
a grateful touch of life to the forest.
Mountain Song SrAURO'w : Mclospina melodia fallax. — Song spar-
rows were found in the bushes at the head of Sherburne Lake and
on Belly Eiver. One was found by Mr. Warren June 27, 1913, at
Iceberg Lake, and others were recorded by Mr. Bryant from the
North Fork of the Flathead, while a few were noted in 189.j bj-
IMessrs. Bailey and Howell at the St. ISIary Lakes.
The possibility of finding the familiar song sparrow in tlie jiark
adds to one's zest in seai'ching among the bushes of the lake borders,
for though he is here a bird of the mountains and his brown back may
lie a different shade from the one known at home, the spot on his
streaked breast and the homely sweetness of his call and song are the
same — a different subspecies he is, but a song sparrow is a song
sparrow for a' that.
Lincoln Sparrow : Mdospiza lincohii lincolni. — The Lincoln
sparrow should be carefully watched for about the willows of the
mountain meadows. While suggesting a small song sparroAV, his
bufly chest band, finely penciled breast, and individual song set him
a]>art from his relati\es. A bird that was taken for the Lincoln was
heard by Mr. H. C. Bryant, of California, in one of the mountain
meadows near the Sperry chalets.
In 1895 Messrs. Bailej^ and Howell reported these sparrows com-
mon in the brush patches and willow thickets at the u^Dper St. Mary
Lake. They were also found tolerably common near Blackfeet
Agency, now Browning, and one or two were seen at Summit and
Midvale, a nest with four eggs being found June 18, at Summit.
SljVte-colored Fox Sparrow : PassercUa iliaca schisfaeea. — Two
dominant songs are heard in following the trails along the willow-
bordered lake shores and through the open parts of the park, those
of the white-crowned sparrow and the slate-colored fox sparrow.
The black and white striped crown of the white-crown identifies
him readil}', but the dark gray head of the fox sparrow is less con-
spicuous, and unless you press close to the singer it is difficult to
make out the characteristic fox-colored spots on his breast and his
reddish tail. But once learned there is no mistaking his bright,
cheery song, and as he stands silhouetted against the astonishingly
green water of one of the beautiful mountain lakes the notes, with
BIRDS. 179
tlie catchy I'hj'thm, phrase themselves — " Green, ejreeiv, iva'ter, see-it-
there."
Like the song of the white-crown, the plirase may change with
the setting, as under the white snow of Baring Basin one seemed
to say, " WMte, white snmv' hanks, see'them-there" and at Gunsight
on a cokl, cloudy morning, with fresh snow on the mountain sides an-
other sang, " Cold, cold wafter, see-it-there." A second song, clear,
rich, and musical, something like the four-noted song of the white-
crown, but reversed, began high and descended, suggesting " Green
lake, green lake, see-it-there."
In the grim amphitheater of Iceberg Lake, with its high glacier
debouching into the green water, as we watched insectlike mountain
goats climbing up the mountain walls above us and nutcrackers
flying about over beds of heather, wind-bared, wide-skirted spruces,
and snow banks tinted with the famous pink snow of circumpolar
and Alpine regions, the '■'■ Iligh-np, high-up" of the white-crown
seemed well attuned to the spirit of the place. Then suddenly,
to my astonishment there rang out loud and clear the bright, cheery
'''' Green, green ica'ter, see-it-there" What was he doing up here?
As I asked myself the question I looked about and the willow thicket
bordering the lake answered me. He was simply following the wil-
lows. Tracing the loud, sweet song to a hedge of spruce, on the tip
of a spire I caught the familiar dark-gray head of my bird, and as
he pitched clown and I went to look for him, I found that he had been
singing over a spruce alcove carpeted with the exquisite lemon-yellow
Er^^thronium that was filling the air with its fragrance at the edges
of melting snowbanks. But never did I appreciate the lovely song
so much as when after protracted days of following trails through
the dark coniferous forest we came out onto the simny chaparral
slope of Cathedral Peak and were greeted again by the bright, cheer-
ing A'oice of our friend.
Aectic Towhee : Pipilo maculcdus arcticus. — The strikingly marked
arctic towhee — the male with black foreparts, white belly, and brown
flanks ; the female with black rejalaced by olive brown — found scratch-
ing among the leaves on the ground or singing in a bush not far above,
Avhile characteristically a bird of the Transition and Upper Sonoran
zones, breeds at these lower levels as far north as Alberta and Sas-
katchewan, and several were observed by Messrs. Bailey and Howell
on May 24, 189.5, at St. Mary Lake.
Black-headed Grosbeak : Zamelodia jnelanoeephala melano-
cephala. — Mr. Bryant reports the musical brown-breasted, black-
headed grosbeak nesting in mountain maples inside the park in the-
region of the N'orth Fork of the Flathead.
51140°— 18 15
180 WILD ANIMALS OF G'LACIER NATIONAL PARK.
Lazuli Bunting: Passerina mruEAia. — A little male Lazuli with
bright-blue back and brownish breast was seen back of Glacier Park
Hotel on a tree above a brushy bench, where it sang its bright, cheery
song. Another lazuli Avas seen at Lake McDermott. The birds are
also recorded from the North Fork of the Flathead by Mr. Brj'ant,
and on July 1, 1913, Mr. Warren saw one along the railroad track
about three-quarters of a mile Avest of Glacier Park Hotel. On Oc-
tober 18, 1887, Dr. Grimiell saw one in the brush of the St. Mary
Lake shore.
Family TANGARID^: Tanagers.
Western Tanager: Piranga ludavlciana. — At St. Mary Lake the
latter part of July, a,s I followed a quiet wood road in the dark
Douglas spruce forest with here and there a slanting streak of light
from the late afternoon sun, I caught a song unheard for many years.
Though failing to recognize it on the instant, I found myself trying
to imitate it in the swinging rhythm of the tanager's eong, and in a
moment more caught a flash of yellow from the bird's breast, and at
a turn got a glimpse of his red head between tliB closely spaced trees.
But as I was exulting over the discovery, the beautiful bird disap-
peared as suddenly as he had come, among the dark shadows of the
forest.
The only others seen by us were two found the last of August on
the Camas Lake trail above Lake McDonald, but Mr. Bryant reports
them from the North Fork of the Flathead, and in 189.") Messrs.
Bailey and Howell saw one on the mountain near Nyack and heard
a few along the line of the park between there and Belton.
Family HIRUNDINID^: Swallows.
Cliep Savallow: PctvochcJldon oJhifrons aJhifrons. — S^vallows
taken for the cliff were seen August 2 flying over the flats of the St.
Maiy Eiver and August 6 over the Swiftcurrent
Flats. Mr. Gird thinks he has seen them on the
North Fork of the Flathead.
Barn Sav allow: Hirundo rv^tica erythrogas-
fris. — ]\Ir. Stevenson reports that the barn swal-
p'rnm irandbook of Birds,
.— c
low.
F.«. 8o.-ciiff swai- i^^g ^.-^^-^^ ^YiQ long, forked tails have been seen, but
are rare, and that they liaA'e been noted on the
plains to the east of the park. On May 25, 1895, one or two were seen
at the upper St. Marj^ Lake, and on June 20, 1913, Mr. Warren saAV
one or two along the road between Glacier Park Hoiel and St. ISIary.
Tree Savallow: Iridoprocvr hi'color. — At the Upper St. Mary
Lake, on July 21, in cottoiiAvood stubs, Ave found three nests of the
BIRDS.
181
tree swallows with their snowy underparts and burnished steel-blue
upperparts. The parents were still going to the nest holes, which
were respectively about 8, 15, and 20 feet from the ground, but part
of each family seemed to have flown and the air was alive with birds
weaving about among the trees. Toward simset we found a number
of them on the telephone line that marks the 1;oundary of the park.
Thej and some mountain bluebirds had possession of the wires, but
(hough there seemed to be abundant space, the swallows apparently
wanted it all. Several times there was
a heated chase, and once when a gentle
bluebird was driven low it actuallj' sat
down on the ground and let the domi-
neering swallow go by.
At Mirror Pond near the Gunsight
Trail tree swallows and probably cliff
swallows were flying about over the
quiet water with its yellowish green
marshy border, disappearing up the
river vista with its beautiful view of
Gunsight Pass and its guarding peaks.
NOETHEEN ViOLET-GEEEN SaV ALLOW :
TacJii/cineta thalassina lepicla. — The
swallows of the park need to be very
carefully discriminated. The two with the brown breast are the barn
swallow with the long forked tail, and the cliff swallow with the light
forehead and pale rufous rump, while the two that are snow white
underneath are the tree swallow, with the steel-blue upperparts, and
the violet-green swallow, whose green crown and back contrast
sharply Avith the violet of the rump patch. The cliff swallow makes
a retort-shaped mud nest, often hung from a cliff or roofing slab of
rock, while the barn swallow makes a cup-shaped
nmd nest often attached as a wall pocket to a rafter
in a barn. The tree and violet-green swallows nest
in holes in trees, and the violet also in cliffs. As it
will nest in knot holes and bird houses, it is one of
the birds that may be attracted by offers of hospi-
tality. It would be worth while trying to attract
it by bird houses at Lake McDonald, as it has recently been found on
McDonald Creek.
Bank Swallow: Riparia riparia riparia (.^)— Like the tree and
violet-green, the bank swallow is white underneath, but it has a dark
band across the chest that distinguishes it, and it nests in colonies in
banks such as railroad cuts or creek embankments. A nesting colony
has been reported by Mr. Gibb from the Swiftcurrent, probably of
I Biological Survey.
Fig. 81. — Barn
From Handbook o£ Birds.
Fig. 82. — Tree swal-
low.
182
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIOKAL PAEK.
bank swallows, although the unmarked, gray-breasted, rough-winged
swallow also nests in colonies. Both the rough-winged and the bank
are without the iridescent colors of the other swallows.
Family BOMBYCILLIDiE: Waxwings.
Bohemian Waxwixg : Bomljye'iUa garnda pallidiceps. — The fawn-
colored, high-crested Bohemian waxwing, which breeds from Alaska
to the northwestern border of the United States, should be looked
for in the park. It may easily be told from the cedar waxwing,
w h i c h breeds at
the lower levels, by
its larger size,
brown forehead,
and yellow and
white wing mark-
ings, but it also has
the waxy red wing
appendages and the
yellow tail band of
tlie cedar waxwing.
One of the distin-
guished looking
birds was seen hj
us July 18 in the
firs below the Gran-
ite Park chalet.
During migra-
tion, in 1887, "br.
Grinnell found the
Bohemians going
about in close flocks
of from 20 to 100,
and extremely
abundant about
the St. IMary Lakes.
He says : " Scarcely
a day passed without one or more flocks being seen. They a]i-
peared to prefer the mountain side to the valley, though flocks
were seen a number of times among the firs and spruces of the
Inlet Flat."
Cedar Waxwing: Bomhycilla cedrorum-.—ln the bottoms of the
Upper St. Mary Lake, where the tree swallows were nesting, the
" beady note "' of the waxwing was heard July 22, and one was discov-
ered apparently feeding young. On the Swiftcurrent, August 6, grown
From Handbook of Western Birds, (Ernest Thompson Seton.)
Fig. S3. — Cedar waxwiug.
BIEDS. 183
young were seen with their parents in the willow thickets of the bot-
tom eating black honeysuckle berries. In the Belly River country
they Avere frequently seen, and they were also found in the Waterton
Lake Valley and at Lake McDonald.
Family LANIID^: Shrikes.
White-eumped Sheike : Lanius liidoviclanus excuMtorides. — Sev-
eral times in the fall of 1887 Dr. Grinnell saw the white-rumped
shrike — with hooked bill, black eye stripe', slaty upperparts, and
l)lack and white wings and tail — on the Upper St. ISIary Lake and in
the valley of the St. Mary River.
Family VIREONID^: Vireos.
Western Warbling Vieeo: Vlreosylva gilva sivainsoni. — The low
pleasing ix)und of the little olive-drab vireo was frequently heard
in the willow thickets along watercourses in tJie park — at Glacier
Park Hotel, St. Mary Lake, Swiftcurrent Creek Flats, Gunsight
Lake, Crossley Lake. Belly River, and Lake McDonald.
Family MNIOTILTIDiE: Wood Warblers.
Black and White Warbler: Mniot'dta varia. — A black and white
striped Mniotilta was seen, August 26, creeping over the trunks and
branches at Lake McDonald, and Mr. Bryant is sure that he has seen
the bird on the North Fork of the Flathead.
Orange-cbowned Warbler: Vermivora celata orestera. — A number
of the dull olive-green orange-crowned warblers were seen, August
22, in a chaparral basin on the Kootenai Trail with a fall flock of
migrants, and others were seen a week later in several places in the
vicinity of McDonald Lake.
Yellow Warbler: Bendroica a'sfiva cpsfira. — Yellow warblers,
their underparts streaked with rufous, were found in willowy and
brushy thickets at Glacier Park, the Swift-
current Flats, Upper St. Mary Lake, Belly
River, and Lake McDonald. In 189-5
]\Iessrs. Bailey and Howell found a nest
just completed on June 12.
Audubon Waeblee : Dendroica auduboni
auduboni. — The handsome Audubon, which
in flying from you flashes a bright yellow
rump patch and when hunting for insects
near by shows his yellow tliroat patch and From sioioeicai survey.
black, yellow, and white under .markings, ^'°- s*— ^-i-^'-- -"^er.
is one of the most abundant and conspicuous warblers of the Glacier
Park forests. In gathering insects for his young he goes about
184 WILD ANIMALS OP GLACIEK NATIONAL PARK.
rapidlj' and capably, covering a great deal of ground from the dead
tree tops down, jerking out his flat quip' with a preoccupied air, or, as
he looks up and around, sometimes stopping to sing his loud warbler
chwee-chwee-chwee or swee-Hwee-swee, sioec-ah, swee-aJi, swee-ah,
swee, but keeping on with his work till his bill fairly bristles with
insects, and the voices of young birds are heard from back among
the dense spruces.
During the migrations, Mr. Bryant says, the Audubon warblers
pass through the North Fork of the Flathead Valley " in immense
numbers."
TowNSEXD ^Vaeblee: Dendrolca townsendi. — On the trail from
Many Glaciers to Iceberg Lake the middle of July, high in the
spruce and fir tops, both going and
coming, I heard a faint warbler song
with a drawled quality suggesting the
eastern black-throated green, the near-
est of kin to the Town&end. At Gran-
ite Park the same song was heard and
a small warbler was seen flying out
of a high tree top. Late in August,
From Handbook of wo,u.m Bird,. (Fucrt.B.) .^^^^.^lers taken for Townsends were
Fig. 85. — Townsend warbler. , t- . • n^ -i t , t i
seen on the Kootenai irail, and at Lake
ilcDonald about half a dozen were seen in the willows bordering a
small pond, near enough to see their handsome yellow and black
markings; while on the Camas Lake trail a number of others were
seen in a fall flock of wandering migrants.
Grinnell Water-thrush: Seiunts noveioracensis nofaiiUs. —
When at Lake McDonald the last of August, we followed along
the shore toward McDonald Creek till we came to a small pond
formed by a trickling woodland brook, where two red-tailed Audu-
bon thrushes stopped us. Along the marshy edge of the pond,
in the soft brown earth, we discovered fresh tracks of deer and
bear, which had gone down to the still pool to drink. As the
woods were dark, the passing birds had gathered in the sunnj^ wil-
lows on the opposite side of the pond, making such a busy throng
that we sat down on a log under concealing branches to watch them.
Bright yellow, black-capped warblers were whipping about ; quiet,
dull yellow, orange-crowned warblers were quietly hunting; and a
sudden flash of salmon made us exclaim, " Redstart ! " The drawl
of a Swainson vireo called our attention to a small leaf-colored bird
with neck outstretched hunting painstakingly for measure worms;
little gay outbursts came from the warblers in the willows, and when
PROPERTY- C;C,C.
BIRDS. 185
the woods had been resounding with the phec' -he-he and tsche'-de-de
tscTie'-de-de of cliickadees, a band of the clieery birds flew in, possess-
ing the bushes. Then came a party of briglit Townsend wai'blers witli
yellow cheeks, black eyelines, and green backs, keeping us busy watch-
ing them, now disappearing and then reappearing among the green
leaves. Siskins and crossbills flew overhead calling, and occasionally
the small voice of a Batchelder downy woodpecker or the remote
henlii-hcnh-henh-hcnh of a distant nuthatch were heard from inside
the Avoods. Suddenly an exclamation came from Mr. Bailey, with
glass focused on the willow border of the pond : " A Grinnell water-
thrush ! " We had been talking of the rare bird and hoping to see
it, and here it was at last. Named for the ornithologist whose earlj'
exploration of the park had affixed his name to so many of the noble
landscape features, this seemed indeed an appropriate place to find
it, as I did now for the first time. Like its eastern relatives, the dark-
backed bird, with streaked throat and breast and a dingy line over
the eye, Avalked deliberately along the brown bank under the willows,
teetering and dipping its tail according to the best water-thrush
traditions ; and then, perhaps, feeling itself too much the center of
attention, disappeared in the dark thicket.
Happening to glance up along one side of the pond, I started, for
there was a black bear coming leisurelj' along toward us ! Entirely
oblivious of our presence, he stopped beside a tall serviceberry bush
on the edge of the pond and, raising up on his hind legs, pulled down
the branches with his paws and proceeded to eat the delectable
berries. Then, perhaps discovering us, he turned and, instead of
coming on down the beach, waded, with low hind quarters, across
the pond and disappeared in the thicket on the other side. As he went
he flushed the water-thrush, which came hurriedly flying across the
water, past us and off through the trees. What a rare secluded retreat
we had happened on ! Here at last we had seen the water-thrush and
the warblers we had barely met in passing, and here at last we had
found not only the usual woodland tracks but a maker of tracks,
an actual denizen of the forest in one of his own quiet haunts. As
we regretfully l^ft the little pond in the woods, Mr. Bailey pointed
out a beaver-cut tree and moose tracks — probably those of a moose
that had been seen swimming the lake not long before. We had,
indeed, chanced on a rarely favored drinking pool Avith its wildwood
privacy !
Up the beach a short distance we came to McDonald Creek, and
near its Avaterfall found the old nests of Avater ouzels, Avhile oA^er
the rapids Ave Avatched the family of harlequin ducks riding; after
which Ave cut across through beautiful hemlock forest back to the
Pr-.:;-i£RTY:c;'c:u:~'~^"""
186
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
From Ilandhftokof Birds. (Fuertes.)
Fig. ST., — M a c g i 1 1 i v r a y
warbler.
hotel trail. The woods were still — not a breath stirred the leaves,
not a sound broke the silence, and patches of light lay unmoved on
the tree trunk's. Looking down we found we were following pointed
tracks — a deer had been along the trail since we went up ! A red-
letter day, indeed, was that on which we discovered the Grinnell
Water-thrush !
jMacgillivray Waebler : Ojyorornis tohniei. — The Macgillivray,
with his slaty head and neck, bright yellow underjoarts, and olive-
green back is one of the most abundant birds
of the park, his leisurely rather throaty
tm-'-fur-tur-turty-tah being heard not only
from the willow thickets but from the chapar-
ral of the mountain slopes. The songster may
sometimes be discovered throwing back his
head to sing from the tip of an evergreen
spire, and sometimes caught giving a delight-
ful flight song over the bu.shes.
Western Yellow-throat : Geothly pis
trichas oecidentalis. — During the nesting sea-
son the \oltcli-awee\ witch-awee' , tvifch-awee' of the j-ellow-throat
was heard from the willows near the tepees on Lake McDermott.
and, by quietly watching, the busy songster with black mask, yellow
breast, and olive back was caught sight of in passing.
Below McDermott Falls, in a willow and spruce thicket protected
from the wind bj' a high mountain wall, where fragrant ladies' tresses
and pink castillejas brightened the ground, the birds of the neighlior-
hood — yellow warblers, white-crowned spar-
rows, Swainson vireos, ruby kinglets, Mac-
gillivray warblers, and yellow-throats — were
gathered one sunny morning holding a merry
concert. The yellow-throat brought out all
his best variations — wree-cha-ree', wi-ee-cha-
ree' , wrec-cha-ree' , wltch-awee-ivitch' , witch-
cavee-wifch' ^ and witch-awee-ioitcTi' ah.
Below St. Mary Chalet, late in July, a
yellow-throat was seen carrying food, and
as late as August one was seen giving his flight song over the
willows.
PiLEOLATED Warbler: Wilsonia pusilla pUcohifa. — The jauntj' lit-
tle black-capped yellow warblers were found in the bushes in a num-
ber of places, notably at Glacier Park, Swiftcurrent Flats, Gunsight
Lake, Waterton Valley, the Kootenai Trail, and Lake McDonald.
One was seen July 13, at Lake McDermott, carrying food.
l''roiu Handbook of Birds. (Fuorlcs.)
Fi(i. ST.- — Western yellow-
throat.
BIEDS. 187
Redstart : Setophaga 7'uticiUa. — Mr. Bryant records the redstart
from the North Fork of the FLathead, and in 1895 Messrs. Bailey
and Howell saw several males at the St. Mary Lakes.
In a country where they are imcommon the sudden sight of a
striking bird like the black ami orange redstart, with its long, fan-
tail, seems an experience worth recording. We saw three — one at
Glacier Park, one near the Reynolds cabin in the Waterton Valley,
and one at Lake McDonald, each bringing the thrill of surprise and
pleasure of an unexpected meeting with an old friend.
Family MOTACILLID/E: Wagtails.
Pipit: Aiithus splnoletta ?'iilescens. — On the timberline slopes of
the park, stony and flower strewn, in company with the leucosticte and
ptarmigan, one finds the pipit, smaller and more slemler than the rosj^
finch, and without his charming touches of color, but a hardy little
mountain friend for all of that, with a dull brownish suit to protect
him from enemies, and white enough on the outer edge of his dark
square tail to help his family follow his flight. Better known when he
is going about in flocks on the lowlands in the migrations and winter
months, he ma^^ be recognized on his Arctic Alpine breeding grounds
by his deliberate walk, his habit of tipping his tail, and occasionalljr
nodding his head, and also b_v his plaintive Ir'-we and clieep'-ep,
uttered as he flies about, buffeted by a wind often too strong to stand
against, and which sometimes blows him back against a snowbank.
A record of one's meetings with Anthus becomes a record of the
peaks and passes visited, for while both ptarmigan and leucosticte are
often overlooked on hurried visits, Anthus is generally in evidence.
We found old ones feeding young at Siyeh Pass, Gunsight Pass,
Piegan Pass, and Kootenai Pass, and saw them flying around on the
slopes adjoining Blackfeet Glacier. Dr. Grinnell, in the St. Mary
Lakes region, found them also on Flat Top, Goat Mountain, and Red
Eagle Mountain.
Sometimes the pipits were found flying about over bare steep slide
rock; once they kept me waiting for a long time on the edge of a can-
yon, flying from rock to rock, one of them finally eating up the in-
sects it had gathered rather than show me the hiding place of its
brood. On Gunsight Pass, where siskins flew overhead and leu-
costictes called around the peaks, the broken faces of strata regis-
lered the titanic convulsions of geologic ages, but the gentle hand
of time had lain disguising carpets of heather and moss and dwarf
firs, and conies squeaked from the interstices of coarse rock slides.
Here the familiar voice of the pipit was heard from rock masses
above and beloAv, and round about us we discovered the little forms
188
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
of well-grown j^oung — yellowish-breasted young that tilted their tails
like their parents, but still had a decided air of staying where they
were put — an air Avhose reason- was explained when their business-
like, knowing parents quietly whisked them out of danger's way.
Family CINCLID^: Dippers.
Water Ouzel : Cinclus mexicanus unicolor. — The water ouzel, also
called clipper from its wren-like habit of bobbing or dipping, one of
the most remarkable birds of the West, can be easily watched at its
nest by even the hurried visitor to the park. From the bridge over
Photu. by J. Rowley, Courtesy of Bird-Lore.
Fig. 88. — Water ouzel at entrance to nest.
the Swiftcurrent — only a few steps from Many Glaciers Hotel —
where trains of saddle horses and automobile stages go rushing by, a
pair of the short-tailed gray " water wrens " were seen flying swiftly
low over the water on their way back and forth between their feed-
ing grounds along the lake above and their nest at the foot of the
waterfall below. And from- the top of the gorge, marking the his-
Wild Animals Glacier Park„
PLATE XXXIV.
'i\S^^
o-'
3,^'\^
BOt^'
189
toric Lewis Overthrast Fault, of the map, the ouzel was watched
through the glass flying down over the white roaring waterfall, turn-
ing a shielding point of rock, and buzzing like a hummingbird in
front of a ledge before the open mouth of a domed mossy nest from
which, with a noisy Avelcome, widely gaping yellow bills reached
down to be fed. Then off like a flash, the eager parent flew over
the frothing swirling water and through the wind-blown spraj' back
up the tumbling falls to its hunting ground on the lake above.
When tired pei'haps by strenuously climbing waterfalls, one of
the pair went hunting l)elow along the bank of the creek, and
an observer new to water ouzels and their strange ways, catching
the enthusiasm of fir.st-hand knowledge, exclaimed excitedly, " TZe
went right doivn, under water! He went down under water !" When,
lured by some tempting morsel at the bottom of the creek, the little
water wren, secure in his oilskin suit, does go below in this way, he
often swims along a bit before coming up, though boasting no
webbed feet to paddle with. A commoner " stunt " is to stand on a
rock — like the large one in the middle of Swiftcurrent facing his
nest, Avhich holds a basin of water — and plunge his head in up to
his body, giving an amusing headless horseman effect.
At this time of year he had little need to hunt under water, for
banks and shores and ledges were fairly alive with caddice flies just
coming out of their cases, and we could see long wings in the bills
of the parents. The family providers had long hours to work here
in the north where daylight lasts so late. One was actually seen
taking food to the nest at 9 o'clock at night. And by 6 — and no
one knows how much earlier — the pair were at work again the next
morning. When the sun first came into the cold gorge of the glacial
stream, the father of the family, sitting on the rock in the middle
of the creek, burst into song and sang jubilantly for some time,
but then stopped short and began the work of his long busy day.
When the sun got in far enough to light up the nest the picture
from the bottom of the gorge facing it was a pretty one, though the
strong draft sweeping through shook the legs of the tripod disas-
trously, and the dashing spray clouded the lens. The mossy nest,
resting on a narrow shelf several feet above the roaring stream, was
securely wedged in under a roofing ledge. Dark mosses growing
over tlie ledges and small bright green ferns on either side of the
nest itself added to the attractiveness of the picture. What a home
the little water wrens had chosen! How they must love the rush
and roar of water, the exhilaration of wind-blown spray, the music
of the cascades, and the privacy of their rainbow-arched gorge beyond
Avhose white Avaterfalls looms the noble head of Grinnell Mountain
under resplendent clouds I
190 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PAEK.
But what would happen to the young when they left the nest?
Would they fall into the frothing, swirling torrent and be washed
downstream? Their parents had no such anxieties. Ledges and cav-
erns that seemed faii'ly negligible from the top of the gorge, from
below proved veritable mammoth caves for exploration by fledgelings.
And if a too-venturesome one went too close to the water, a thud of
spray on its back taught it a lesson.
Another ouzel's nest, this time about 30 feet above the creek on
the ledges besides Baring Falls, was one of the prime interests of
visitors to Going-to-the-sun Camp, and while the nest itself was pro-
tected from the too curious by the heavy spray of the cataract, in
going to and from it the ouzels sometimes — as on the occasion of the
visit of the Ploward Eaton party^iad to run the gauntlet of a long
row of siiectators.
After the nesting season two nests were found near the falls of
]\IcDonald Creek where the harlequins rode the rapids. Ouzels were
seen flying up the beautiful waterfall — split by red rocks — just off
the Granite Park trail, and they i3rol)ably had a nest at its foot. In
a number of other places in the park the birds were seen in j^assing,
either about falls or fl3nng swiftly up or down mountain streams.
The,y were so busy feeding young that their song was seldom heard;
but it is a delightful one, that should be carefully listened for, and
that may be heard in the park in winter.
In writing of winter experiences with the ouzels Mr. Higginson
says : " I very much doubt if the weather ever comes that drives these
birds to take shelter. On a day in January, with the thermometer
at 35° below zero and everything combining to make the weather
unbearable, I heard one of these birds, and looking out discovered
him sitting on a little rock in the middle of an icy mountain stream
pouring forth his song at the very top of his little lungs. Many
people do not know what a sweet song the dipper possesses, as sweet
a strain as one often hears, poured out with all the subdued energy
of the winter wren, whose song it sometimes resembles."
The hardy little musicians are early builders. On April 21, 1918,
Mr. Bailey found a pair carrying building material under the Fish
Creek log bridge near Lake McDonald, and the next day found a pair
lining their nearly completed nest in a niche of the rock wall below
the falls on McDonald Creek, where he had found two old nests the
previous summer.
Family MIMIDiE: Mockingbirds, Catbirds, etc.
Catbird: Dumefdld vdvoUnengis. — At the upper St. Mary Lake
July 21, when looking for new and strange harlequin ducks, I Avas
surprised to come face to face with a homelike catbird, with slate-
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XXXV.
Courtesy of National Association of Audubon Societies.
CATBIRDS AT NEST.
BIEDS.
191
gray body and black crown and tail, sitting in the bushes on the
lake shore, looking conscious of observation, but unafraid.
The bird has been seen by Mr. Bryant, both in the park and on the
Flathead, and in June, 1895, Messrs. Bailey and Howell reported one
or two seen on Willow Creek near the Blackfeet Agency, now Brown-
ing.
Family TROGLODYTID^: Wrens.
EocK Ween: Salpinctes ohsoletus ohsoletus. — Although the rock
wren is mainly a bird of warmer zones, it has been reported by so
many observers that it should be sharply looked for. Its wrennish
figure and graduated tail with subterminal band of black, held like
a spread fan tilted up at its back, are enough to identify it.
Dr. Grinnell writes me that he has an impression that he has seen
it on the east side of the park, and the botanist, Mr. Marcus E. Jones,
unqualifiedly records seeing it " among the rocks." Mr. Bryant has
never collected it, but feels confident
that he has seen it, as do Mr. Gibb
and Mr. Gird.
Western House Ween : Troglo-
dytes aidon -parkmani. — The house
wren was found August 5 on Swift-
current Creek, a mile below Many
Glaciers, singing volubly and acting
interested in a hole in a stub. ISIr.
Gibb says a number of the wrens are
seen around Lewis's on Lake Mc-
Donald.
Westeen Wintee Ween : N annus
hiemalis pacificus. — Along the Gun-
sight Trail we heard the tinkling song of the little bobtailed winter
wren coming from a dark thicket in the mossy woods; and again at
Wall Lake, before a thunderstorm had cleared, the gloom of the well-
like cirque and its black water bordered hy dark spruce woods was
relieved by the sprightly song of the jolly little wren.
But not until we were following the bear-tracked Kootenai trail
thi'ough the dark Engelmann spruce forest did we get our first sight
of the brown mite. On the trail beside some fallen logs we were ar-
rested by its " watch-winding " scold, as Mr. Bailey expressed it,
and discovered a pair of old wrens with stul)by tails up over their
backs, and one fuzzy-headed, yellow-gaped j^oungster just out of the
nest. With quivering wings and twitching tail, the parent on guard
scolded around in nervous solicitude, not daring to call attention to
the youngster by feeding it even when food was brought. Occasion-
51140°— 18 1\)
From Handbook of Weetem Birds,
Fig. so.- — Western house wren.
192 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIEB. NATIONAL PAEK.
ally the two-syllabled ta-tih' was given, but generally it was the long
scolding chatter. When finally relieved of our pi'esence the parents
expressed their feelings in various low notes followed by their sweet
tinkling song. The nest of the wrens is described by Mr. Stevenson
as " a small oven made of moss on the side of a rotten log."
One of the winter wrens was seen by Mr. Gibb in July on Lake
Josephine, and Mr. Bryant, of California, when in the park heard
them in many places and found them " much in evidence along Lake
McDonald and McDonald Creek." Mr. E. S. Bryant says they are
common all winter.
In April, 1918, Mr. Bailey found them " singing in many places
along the way," up the Xorth Fork of the Flathead, and says : " One
was living under some logs of the road grade on the Fish Creek hill,
where four feet of snow covered his dark, cold den. He Avould come
out and bubble away as if the flowers were blooming, tlien dive back
into the black caverns under the snow bank."
Photograph by R. B. Rockwell.
Fig. 90. — Young Rocky Mountain nuthatches.
Family CERTHIID^: Creepers.
Rocky Motintain Creeper: Certhia famillaris montana. — The
little bark-colored creeper, rocking up to the top of one tree trunk
and then flying down to the foot of another to start over again in his
search for bark insects, may be easily overlooked in the dense coni-
ferous forest; but his small beady note on the order of the wax-
wings, when once heard will readily place him. Only one was seen,
but a number were heard during the summer in various parts of the
park.
Family SITTID.^: Nuthatches.
Rocky Mountain Nuthatch: Sltfa carolinensis 7icho»i. — The
small short-tailed bluish gray bird with black crown and plain white
BIEDS.
193
ch(!eks, seen ■walking head down on the side of a tree trunlf, was
found on all sides of the park, notably at Many Glaciers, Going-to-the-
sun Camp, Waterton Valley, Kootenai Trail, and Lake McDonald.
It is less frequently seen than heard, its soft henh-henh-henk-henk,
catching the ear from a distance. Sometimes it is only a flute-like
hanh that penetrates the woods, but it is redolent of balsamic odors
and the still depths of the forest.
Eed-breasted Nuthatch : Sitta canadensis. — The red-breasted nut-
hatch with black and white stripes on the side of its head was seen,
August 30, at Lake McDonald.
Mr. Bryant, of California, found
it there on July 18, and on Mc-
Donald Creek July 31. In June,
1895, Messrs. Bailey and Howell
reported it from St. Mary Lake
as " quite common around camp."
In the winter of 1899-1900 Mr.
Higginson found both it and the
white-breasted around Stanton
Lake, " more frequently on the
highland."
Family PARID-3E: Titmice.
LoNG-TAILED Chickadee : Pcn-
thestes atricapiUus septentrion-
alis. — As several species of chick-
adees may be found in the park,
the flocks should be examined
carefully. The long-tailed, with
its plain white cheeks and un-
derparts and its pale gray back,
was seen on Swiftcurrent Creek,
Kootenai Trail, and Lake McDonald, families of grown young being
found in the forest in many places, although the birds are more
likely to breed in the partly open valleys.
In April, 1918, Mr. Bailey found the long-tailed chickadees com-
mon from Belton to the Kintla Lakes, especially along the willow
bottoms.
Mountain Chickadee: Penth^stes gambeli gamheli. — Mountain
chickadees, easily recognized by the white line over the eye, are
common in the park, so that their delightful and varied notes may be
studied at will. In speaking of the birds around his winter camp
PhotorrJ.i)h by E R ^\ jnrn
Fig. 91. — Long-tailed chickadee.
at Stanton Lake, Mr,
Higginson wrote.
" Of course the chickadees
194
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIEE NATIONAL PAKK.
were our ever faithful neighbors during tlie winter. Wlien other
birds were in hiding, in cold or stormy weather, these little fellows
would come around the camp
and cheer us up with their inces-
sant song."
Chestnut - backed Chickadee :
P cnthestes rufescens rufes cens
{?). — In the dense cedar, tama-
rack, and hemlock woods border-
ing Lake McDonald, August 26,
we saw what, Avith the unsatisfac-
tory glimpses vouchsafed us, ap-
peared to be the chestnut-backed,
with top and back of head hair-
brown, and back, sides, and flanks
dark reddish brown.
Family SYLVIID^: Kinglets, etc.
Western Golden -crowned
Kinglet: Regulus satrapa oliva-
ceus. — On the park side of the
North Fork of the Flathead at
Belton, August 31, a golden-
crowned kinglet was seen with a
flock of chickadees, and at Stanton
Lake INIr. Higginson found one or more with every flock of chicka-
dees. A few kinglets were seen by Mr. Bailey on April 16, 1918, at
Kintla Lake. Dr. Grinnell says that he has seen them a number of
times on the east side of the park.
EuBY-CROWNED KiNGLET : CortJvylio caleiulula calendula. — Fre-
quently heard among the firs and spruces of the park, the rippling,
charming song of the ruby kinglet, often given sotto voce, sometimes
suggests the reading", " Roundelay, roundelay, roundelay , cheery,
cheery, cheei-y, cheery, cheer,^^ ending with a tsche-da, tsche-da,
tsche-da.
Wlien the lovely tripping song had been heard a great deal on the
east side of Lake Josephine, on going along the west side of Lake
McDermott one morning I caught sight of a little green woodlander
with big eyes and a scarlet cap on his head, standing in a spruce near
the trail. At the same time he caught sight of me, and after flutter-
ing his wings and giving a few chattering notes, stopped short.
Wanting to sing, he started with the first merry notes, but, remember-
ing me, changed to a worried call — a single, rich, throaty note that he
Photograph by E. R. Warren.
Fig. 92. — Mountain cliickadue
BIRDS. 195
kept repeating for some time. Tlien, as I looked on quietly and nnob-
tnisively, he apparently dismissed me from his mind and went about
himting insects. When he had gathered so many that they showed
in his bill he could contain himself no longer and burst out with his
gay, light-hearted round — hi^oh, hl-oh^ hl-oh, Jd-oh, hi.
At Gunsight Lake, the last of July, I happened on a family of very
spruce-looking, recently fledged little kings whose busy, harried
mother looked as if she had not had time to plume herself. A
month later, when family cares were over for the year, at Lake
McDonald a ruby was seen going about with a flock of chickadees
and warblers, again singing snatches of his carefree, light-hearted
song.
Family TURDID^: Thrushes, Solitaires, Bluebirds, etc.
TowNSEiv'D Solitaire : Myadestes townsendl. — The solitaire — a gray
bird a little smaller than a mockingbird, with a very short bill, in
flight showing a line down the wing — was seen a number of times
in the park. As I had generally seen the solitaires high up on the
mountains I was surprised to discover one sitting in a tree a few
3'ards from the l;)ack of Many Glaciers Hotel. While I stared he
flew down on the edge of the lake looking about with utmost com-
posure. The same one. as I imagined, was seen several times at the
tepee end of the lake, and one day in the middle of July there were
two evidently getting food, as they flew low and then returned to the
tree tops; but though I looked carefully for young and followed
when they left, they cjuickly disappeared ahead of me in the dense
forest. At all our meetings they had maintained strict silence — ex-
cept for a rich call note suggesting the rare quality of their song —
the silence, as I interpreted it, of parents guarding young. But on
July 24, near Going-to-the-Sun Camp, one of the birds, apparently
accompanied l)y grown young, sang soft broken snatches of song that
made me long to hear again the full rhapsody of the mountain tops.
My only other meeting with the rare songster was at Crossley Lake,
when, silent and flitting, he stopped for a few moments in the top
of a lodgepole pine on the moraine aboi'c the lake. In the nesting
season of 1895 a pair were found above timberline near Midvale.
Willow Thrush : BylocuMnfusf-escens salhicola. — The pale bufi'y
chest with its triangular spots, together with the uniform olive brown
of the upper parts, identify the willow thrush when seen; but, like
all the thrushes, quiet brown-backed birds of the woodland, in a coun-
try of dense forest growth he is very difficult to see. His calls, among
them the familiar bleat and the appealing whee' you of his eastern
congener, the veery, were apparently heard in the willow thickets of
the lower part of the park, and Mr. Bryant, of California, reported
hearing the songs at Lake McDonald and St. Mary Lake. The exqui-
196 WILD ANIMALS OP GLACIEE NATIONAL PARK.
site song of the fuscescens has been described as a series of descending
silver rings, but that only gives a hint of its rare quality and charm.
Olive-backed Thrush : IlyJocicKla ustulaia swainsoni. — The olive-
backed — distinguished from the willovF by its bright buffy throat, its
more heavily marked breast, and especially by its buffy cheeks and
eye ring — and distinguished from the red-tailed Audubon hermit
by having the tail nearly the same color as the back, is said, by
Mr. Bryant, to breed in the park. A nest that we took for a swain-
soni was found near Glenn Lake, in a small balsam about 10 feet
from the ground, and was loosely made of soft black and green
bearded lichens, moss, and grass, lined with lichen. It contained one
young bird and one dull-green egg lightly spotted with brownish.
The loud beautiful song of the olive-back whose effect, as it is
said, " is much enhanced by the evening hush in which it is most often
hoard," must be listened to carefidly to distinguish it from that of
the Audubon hermit. Not only do its cadences ascend rather than
descend, but, as Dr. Jonathan Dwight describes the song, it " lacks
the leisurely sweetness of the hermit thrush's outpourings, nor is
there pause, but in lower ke^' and with greater energy it bubbles on
rapidly to a close rather than fading out with the soft melody of its
renowned rival."
Audubon Hermit Thrush : Hylocichla guttata auclubonl. — Two
Audubon thrushes seen at the Grinnell water-thrush pond on Lake
McDonald close enough for a distinct view of their diagnostic reddish
brown tails, were probably migrants, but four others were seen or
heard during the nesting season, two of them close enough for iden-
tification.
The songs heard were, curiously enough, associated with particu-
larly impressive mountain views. On the trail to Iceberg Lake, when
w^e had been slowlj^ climbing up through the dark forest of close-set
shagg}' firs and spruces, with only an occasional sunbeam lighting up
a green fern bed, a patch of lemon yellow lichen, or a clump of
magenta Mimulus, suddenly, at a turn, we rode out of the shadowed
forest and looked across a great space upon the Swiftcurrent glacier
and the noble peak of Grinnell Mountain. As we gazed, spellbound,
at the landscape, over our heads came the thrilling, exalted song of
the Audubon hermit, unheard before in the mountains, with its sub-
limated refrain — ''''Tligh ahove you, high above you.'''' Farther along
the trail, when once more we rode out of the shadowed forest for our
first inspiring view of the uplifted head of Mount Wilbur and the
glacier above Glacier Lake, we were again thrilled by the exalted
song with its cool, serene notes — " Iligh ahove you, high above you.''''
Western Eobin: Planesticus migi^atorius propinquus, — Familar
homelike robins, practically indistinguishable from the eastern, were
nesting on beams under the eaves at Glacier Park Hotel and at Many
Wild Animals Glacier Park.
PLATE XXXVI.
From Handbook of Birds of the Western United States.
NORTHERN VARIED THRUSH.
BIEDS.
197
Glaciers, and they are said to nest c<inimonly in suitable localities
throughout the park.
Some of the robins winter as far north as southern British Colum-
bia, and from April 9-H), 191S, Mr. Bailey found them common from
Belton up through the North Fork valley, especially from Dutch
Creek to Big Prairie. "At Adair's ranch they were numerous, and
busy hunting worms in the meadow and singing from the tree tops."
NonTiiEKx Varied Thrush : Lroreus nwvius me7'"uloides. — The va-
ried thrush, Avliose size and rusty brown breast might suggest a rusty
robin with a black necklace, was seen or heard in a number of places
&
^
Jm
^0 ^^V Miw¥ ^^^aHpWH^^^^^^^H
1
1
PhoLograph by E. R. V<''d
Fig. 93. — Western robin.
during the nesting season; and Mr. Bryant says it winters half way
up the mountains, in the heavy timber near open water or springs,
where it can doubtless find berries, such as mountain ash, high-bush
cranberry, and yew. On April 9, 1918, Mr. Bailey found varied
thrushes singing on both sides of the river at Belton, and during the
next two weeks found them around Lake McDonald and at various
points along the North Fork nearly to Kintla Creek, their long-
thrilling note often coming from deep woods where there was still
two or three feet of snow.
In Auo-ust, on the Kootenai Trail near the home of the winter
wren family, a spotted-breasted young varied thrush was seen in a
198 WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIEK, NATIONAL PAEK.
spruce, and a whistled call brought a response of rare unmistakable
quality from its parent. And once on the south side of Lake Jo-
se2:)liine nn^ ear caught the famous note that holds the rapt sublima-
tion of the songs of all the thrushes. It was only given twice, but
that was enough to thrill me with the knowledge that the rare
musicians were in the park.
At the head of Griimell Lake in July, after leaving our saddle
horses at a large snowbank, I followed along the shore until I dis-
covered a diving golden-eye. While quietly watching her, the voice of
a varied thrush was heard, and soon two of the birds flew swiftly
clown through the evergreens, so close to me that I could see their
brown, collared breasts. Another interval of silence and from the
trees almost over my head came the sjolit, vibrant note, later followed
by a soft tinkling note as of birds undisturbed in their home. And
what an ideal place for Ihe Alaska mountain dweller — on the spruce-
clad wall overlooking the milky glacial lake, with the notes of nut-
crackers given in passing over from the peaks ! Weeks passed before
I was able to return to the home of the varied thrush, but then, on
the way back from Gunsight and Piegan Pass, as I rode down into
the beautiful secluded gulch beside Grinnell Glacier, the vibrant
swelling note caught my waiting ear. Dismounting and answering
each call as it came — now the split note and now the Long swelling
note — I followed the direction of the sound till I stood at the foot
of a noble brotherhood of dark-green, high-pointed spruces, from
which the rare song came. On recounting the circumstance to Dr.
Grinnell soon after, when he was visiting one of our camps, ho
told me that he had found the varied thrushes in that very same
gulch, as he remembered, some twenty-six years before, many years
before the park ha<l been established !
In still another of nature's secluded chambers was the note of the
varied thrush heard — in the amphitheater of Iceberg Lake, where
the presence of man seemed an intrusion and the sublimed voice of
ihe bird in rare harmony. Silenced by the arrival of the horse trains,
only one note was given, but a quiet walker who had preceded us said
that before we came the thrush had been singing marvelously.
MocrxTAiN BLTjEniRD : Suilia currucoides. — Like its eastern relative,
a l)ii-d of the open, the mountain bluebird, associated with the beauti-
ful moinitain parks and meadows of the West, in Glacier Park is
found in the open lower margins, such as the region of St. ]\Iary Lake
and the North Fork of the Flathead.
Some of the pleasantest experiences of the summer, which was
filled with delightful incidents, were at Glacier Park Hotel, at the
BIRDS.
199
entrance to the park, for there, be-
sides being welcomed by tire rich
song of a thrush coming from the
willow- thickets under our win-
dows and hearing the homelike
notes of nesting robins, we found
a pair of the exquisitely tinted
mountain bluebirds, most beautiful
of all the lovely bluebirds, actually
nesting in an old woodpecker hole
in one of the great yellow-pine pil-
lars of the hotel. How touching-
it seemed that the grand old tree,
felled in its might and carried
far from its forest home, had
brought shelter for the gentle
pair, helpless to excavate a nest
of their own and otherwise unpro-
vided ! A pretty sight the father
bluebird made sitting on a beam
close to the nest while the mother
brooded inside.
At Many Glaciers nature had
made no such kindly provision for
the bluebirds, and, as the slen-
der young trees around the hotel
offered no natural nesting boxes
and man had failed to supply the
deficiency, a pair seeking the shel-
ter and protection of the hotel
were sorelj^ put to it. At last,
trjing to forget family traditions,
they built on a rafter at the end of
the piazza, over the heads of the
hotel guests promenading back
and forth enjoying the Avonderful
views of the mountains reflected in
the lake. Shy and nervous in such
an unnatural position, the gentle
birds made a pathetic appeal for
hospitality; and how well they
would repay it, numbered as they
are among the loveliest birds of
the West !
Photograph by KobL-rt H. RockwL-11.
Fig. 94. — Mountain bluebird.
INDEX.
Acanthls linaria llnarla, 174.
Aecipiter cooperi, 146.
velox, 146.
Actsea, 50.
Actitis macuUu'ia, 1.33.
^"Echmophorus occidentalis, 110.
Aeronaute.s raelanoleucu.s, 102.
Agelaiu.s phceniceu.s fortis, 109.
Aix sponsa, 120.
Alaska longspur, 175.
three-toed woodpecker, 158.
Alaudid£e, 165.
Alcedinidse, 157.
Alces americanus americanns, 31.
Alders, 21.
Amelauchier alnifolia, 95.
American elk, 32.
moose, 31.
Anas platyrliynclia, 117.
Anatidse, 115.
Anseres, 115.
Antelope, prong-horned, 31.
Anthus spinoletta rubescens, 187.
Antilocapra americana americana, 31.
Antilocaprida;, 31.
Aquila chrysaetos, 148.
Archibuteo ferruglnens, 147.
Archilochus alexandri, 162.
Arctic-Alpine Zone, 23.
towhee, 179.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, 95.
Ardea herodias herodias, 131.
Ardeidas, 129.
Arenaria, 22.
Arnica, golden, 21, 22.
Asio tlammeus flammeus, 154.
Aspen, 20.
Aster, golden, 22.
prairie, 19.
purple, 21.
A.stur gentilis striatulus, 147.
Asyndesmus lewisi, 161.
Audubon hermit thrush, 196.
warbler, 187.
Avocet, 132.
B.
Badger, 91.
Bald eagle, 149.
Baldpate, US.
Balsam root, 19.
Bank swallo^v', 182.
Baru swallow. 181.
Barrow golden-eye, 122.
Bartramia longicauda, 133.
Bat, bi-own, 101.
hoary, 101.
long-legged, 100.
silver-haired, 101.
Batehelder woodpecker, 158.
Bear, black, 91.
cinnamon, 91.
grizzly, 96.
silvertip, 96.
Bear-))erry, 94.
Bear gra.ss, 21, 94.
Bear paw, 21.
Beaver, 64.
Belted kingfisher, 157.
Bighorn, 26.
Birch, paper, 21.
shrubby, 21.
western, 20.
Bi.son, 25.
Bittern, 129.
Bitterroot, dwarf, 23.
Black and white warbler, 183.
Black-bellied plover, 134.
Blackbird, Brewer, 170.
redwing, thick-billed, 169.
Black-chinned hummingbird, 162.
Black-headed grosbeak, 179.
jay, 165.
Blazing star, 19.
Blueberry, little red, 21.
purple mountain, 21.
201
202
WILD ANIMALS OF GUi-CIliH NATIONAL PABK.
I'.luehird, iiKinntaiii, IDS.
Bluebouiiet, 19.
Blue-winseil teal, 119.
Bobcat, nortliern, 82.
Bob-white, 135.
Bohemian waxwiiig. L'-!2.
Eombycilla cetlroruui, ]82.
garnila pallidiceps, IS2.
B.jmbycillicte, 182.
Bonaparte Kull, 114.
Bona.sa uinljellus umljelloides, 137.
Botauriis lentiginosus, 129.
Branta canadensis canadensis, 127.
Brewer blackbird, 170.
Broad-tailed Imuimingbird, 103.
Brown bat, 101.
Brown-eyed Susan, 10.
Brown woodcluiclc, fio.
Piubonidre, 154.
Bubo virginianus on-ideiilalis, l.jG.
subarciicus, l.Kj.
Buffalo, 2ri.
Buffalo berry, (Canadian, 21.
Buffle-heacl, 124,
Bunting, lazuli, 180,
snow, 17.J,
Buteo borealis calurns, 147.
Buteonidfe, 140,
Buteo swainsoni, 147.
liuttercup, 22, 23.
Calcarius laiiiionicus alascensis. 17."i.
ornatus, 17.j.
Calliope humniingl)ird, 10."..
Callospermopbilus lateralis cineras-
cens, 43.
Camp bird, ICG.
Canachites franklini, 136.
Canada goose, 127.
lynx, 81.
Canadian curlew, 134.
Zone, 20.
<Janidre, 82.
Canis latrans, 83.
nebracensis, 83.
nuhilus, S2.
Canvasback, 121.
Carnivora, 79.
Carpodacus cassini, 172.
Cassin purple finch, 172.
Castor canadensis canadensis, C4.
OastoridiP, 04.
Catbird, 190.
Cathartes aura seiitentrionalis, 145.
Cathartidfe, 145.
Coanotlius sanguineus, 20.
Cedar waxwing, 182.
Cedar, yellow, 21.
Cerchneis sparvei-ia jilialiiena, 1-50.
Certhia famillaris niontaua, 192.
Certhiidfe, 192.
Cei-vida;, 31.
Cervus canadensis canadensis, 32.
Clactura vauxi, 102.
Charadriid*, 134.
Charitonetta albeola, 124.
Chaulela.smus streperus, 118.
Chen hyperborea hyperborea, 127.
ro,ssi, 127.
('hestnut-liacked chickadee, 194.
Chestnut-collared longspur, 175.
Chickadee, chestnut-backed, 194.
long-tailed, 193.
mountain, 193.
<'ln[iniunk, forest, 42.
mountain, 42.
yellowdiellied, 42.
Cliiroi)tera, 100.
Cliondestes granunacus strigatus, 17G.
Chordeiles minor hesperis, 161.
Chordeilida;, 161.
Cinclidce, 188.
Cinclus mexicanus nuicolor, 188.
Cinnamon teal, 119.
Ginquefoil, 22, 23.
Circus cyaneus hudsonius, 146.
Citellus columl)iauus, 45, 95.
ricbardsoni, 49.
tridecemlineatus ]iallidus, 50.
Clangula islandica, 122.
Clark crow, 167.
nutcracker, 167.
Clematis, 21.
Cliff rat, .53.
swallow, 180,
Clintonia uuitlora, 21.
Coccyges, 157.
Colai)tes cafer collaris, 161,
Colinus virginianus virginianus, 135.
Columb;!?, 145.
C(dumbia ground squirrel, 45,
Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, 145,
Columbida;, 145,
Columbine, dwarf blue, 23.
yellow, 21.
I Colynibidip, 110.
INDEX.
203
Colymbus auritus, 112.
holbcelli, in.
nijiricolli.s culifuruicus, 112.
Cony, 75.
Cooppr hawk, 146.
Coot, 132.
Cormorant, double-crestoil, IW.
Corthylio calendula calendula. I'M.
Corvidaj, 165.
Corvus brachyrhynchos hesperis, 167.
corax sinuatus, 167.
Cottonwood, black, 20.
Cougar, 79.
Cowbird, sagebrush, 169.
Cow parsnip, 94,
Coyote, northern, 83.
Crane, sandhill, 131.
Crat;egus douglasi, 95.
Creeper, Rocky Blountain, 192.
Crossbill, 173.
white-winged, 173.
Crow, Clark, 167.
western, 167.
Cryptoglaux acadica acadica, 155.
funerea richardsoni, 1.54.
Cuckoo, 157.
Curlew, Canadian, 134.
Currant, 21.
Cyanocitta stelleri annectens, 165.
D.
Dahla acuta tzitziliou, 120.
Deer, mule, 33.
white-tail, 35.
I>endragapus ob.scurus richardsoni, 135.
Dendroica asstiva testiva, 1S3.
auduboni auduboni, 183.
townsendi, 184.
Desert horned lark, 165.
sparrow hawk, 149.
Devil's-club, 21.
Diamond willow, 19.
Dipper, 188.
Dobson shre^^', 99.
Dogtooth violet, 21, 22, 47, 94.
I >ouble-crested cormorant, 165.
Dove, western mourning, 145.
Drummond meadow mouse, 63.
Dryas octopetala, 22, 140.
I.>ryobates pubescens homorus, 158.
villosus montlcola, 158.
Duck hawk, 149.
Ducks, 115.
Ducks — Continued.
baldpate, 118.
Barrow golden-eye, 122.
buffle-head, 124.
canva.s-back, 121.
gadwall, lis.
lesser scauii, 121.
mallard, 117.
pintail, 120.
redhead, 121.
ring-necked, 122.
ruddy, 127.
scaup, 121.
western liarlequin, 124.
white-winged scoter, 127.
wood, 120.
Dumetella carolinensis, 190.
Dusky shrew, 98.
Dwai'f l)luel)('rrv, 22.
E.
Eas;
le, bald, 149.
golden, 148.
Eared grebe, 112.
Elder, black-berried, 21.
red-berried. 21.
Elephant heads, 22.
Elk, American, 32.
Empidonnx difflcilis difficilis, 104.
hammondi, 165.
trailli trailli, 164.
Engelmann spruce, 20, 22.
P'ptesicus fuscus fuscus, 101.
Itlretluzon epixantlium epixanfhuni, 66.
p]rethizontid.'e, 66.
Erisraatura jamaicensis, 127.
Erythronium grandiflorum, 21.
Euphagus cyanocephalus, 170.
Eutamias luteiventris, 40.
oreoeetes, 42.
umbrinus felix, 42,
Evening primrose, mountain, 22.
Evotomys gnpperi galei, 60.
F.
Ealcon, prairie, 149.
Pelidre, 79.
Fells hippolestes, 79.
Fiber zibethicus osoyoosensis, 65.
Finch, Cassin purple, 172.
Fireweed, 21.
Fir, grand, 21.
Fish hawk, 150.
204
WILD AXIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PAKK.
rislier, 90.
Flicker, red-shafted, 1(31.
Flickertail, 92.
r^lycatfher, Hammond, IG.j.
olive-sided, 164.
Traill, 164.
western, 164.
Flying squirrel, 39.
Forest cliipmunk, 42.
Forset-me-not, 23.
false, 21.
Forster teni, 114.
Fox, cross, 84.
kit, 8.J.
mountain red, 84.
Franklin grouse, 136.
FringlUidse, 171.
Frogs, 18.
Fulica anierieana, 132.
G.
Gadwall. 118.
Galliniie, 13.5.
Gallinago delicata, 132.
Gambel sparro\\', 177.
Garter snakes, 18.
Gavia imnier, 113.
Gaviidw, 113.
Gentian, 22.
Geomyidre, 71.
Geothlypis triclias occldentalis, ISU.
Geranium, 10.
Glacier hoary marmot, ."lO.
Glaucldium gnoma iiinlcola, l.Ti7.
Glaucomys sabrlnus, 39.
bangsi, 39.
latlpes, 39.
Globe flower, 22.
Godetia quadrlvulnera, 22.
Golden eagle, 148.
Goldenrod, 21.
Gooseberry, 21.
Goose, Canada, 127.
Ross, 127.
snow, 127.
Gray-crowned leucostiete, 173.
Gray wolf, 82.
Great blue heron, 137.
Greater yellow-legs, 133.
Grebe, eared, 112.
IlolbffiU, 111.
horned, 112.
swan, 110.
western, 110.
Green-winged teal, 118.
Grinnell water-thrush, 184.
Grosbeak, black-headed, 179.
Rocky Mountain, 171.
western evening. 171.
Ground squirrel, Columbia, 4.5.
mantled, 43.
Richardson, 49.
striped, .50.
Grouse, Columbian sharp-tailed, 145.
Franklin, 136, 1.57.
gray ruffed, 137.
Richardson, 13.5.
Gi-uidre, 131.
Grus canadensis mexicana, 131.
Gull, Bonaparte, 114.
California, 114.
ring-billed, 114.
Gulo luscus, 90.
H.
Halifeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus,
149.
Hammond flycatcher. 165.
Hare, little chief, 75.
Harebell, alpine, 23.
Hawk, Cooper, 146.
desert sparrow. 149.
duck, 149.
flsh, 1.50.
marsh, 146.
mouse, 146.
pigeon, 149.
prairie falcon, 149.
sharp-.shinned, 146.
squirrel, 147.
Swainson, 147.
western gosha\^k, 147.
western red-tail. 147.
Hawk owl, 156.
Hawk-weed, 22.
Heather, purple and white. 22.
Hellebore, green flowered, 21.
Helodromas solitarius cinnanioneus,
1.33.
Hemlock, western. 21.
Heracleum lanatum. 94.
Herodiones, 1 29.
Heron, gi-eat blue. 131.
Herring gull, 114.
Hesperiphona vespertina brooksi, 171.
Hierofalco mexicanus, 149.
Hirundinidn?. ISO.
INDEX.
105
Hirundo rustica erytlirogastris, 180.
Histrionicais histrionicus iiaclficus, 1 L'4.
Hoary bat, 101.
Hoary marmot, glacier, ,">;».
Holbfell grebe. 111.
tloneysuckle, black-l)errie(l, 21, 130.
red-lieri-ieil, 21.
Hooded merganser, 110.
Horned grebe, 112.
Hudsonian Zone, 22.
Hummingbird, blaclc-cliinned, 102.
broad-tailed, 163.
calliope, 1G.3.
rufous, 103.
Hylocichla fuscescens salicicola, 105.
guttata auduboni, 190.
ustulata swainsoni, 196.
Icterida;, 109.
Indian paint brush, 19. 21. 22.
Insectivora, 97.
Iridoprocne bicolor, 180.
Ixoreus nsevius meruloides, 197.
.laik rabbit, prairie, 78.
.lacob's-ladder, 22.
blue, 23.
Jay, black-headed, 105.
Rocky Mountain, 166.
.Tumping mouse, 09.
Junco, Montana, 177.
.Tunco oreganus montanus, 177.
Juniper, creeping, 19.
mountain, 20.
shrubby, 21.
K.
Kalmia .glauca, 22.
Killdeer, 134.
Kingbird, 104.
Kin.gfisher, belted, 157.
Kinglet, golden-crowned, 194.
ruby-crowned, 104.
L.
I.agonioriiha, 75.
Lagopus leui'urus altipetcns. 1.30.
Laniid:^. 1S3.
Lanius ludo\-icianus e.vcubitorides, 183
I.aridfG, 114.
Larix lyelli, 22.
occii'.entali.s, 94.
51140"— IS 17
I^ark, desert horned, 105.
Larkspur, 19, 21, 22.
I.arus californicus, 114.
delawarensis, 114.
])liiladelpliia, 114.
Lusicmyctcris noctiviigaii:., 101.
Lazuli liunting, ]X0.
Lemming mouse, mountaiji, .50.
Leporidre, 77.
Lepus bairdi liairdi, 77.
townsendi canipanius, 78.
Lesser scaup duck, 121.
Leucdsticte, gray-crow iicd, 173.
Leucosticte tephrocotis tephrocotis
173.
Lewis woodpecker, 101.
Life zones, 18.
Limicolie. 132.
Lincoln spari'ow. 178.
Little chief hare. 75.
Little niiamtain cliipniunk, 42.
L(jliipes lobatus, 132.
Loco, 19.
Lodgepole jiine, 20.
Ijongipennes, 1 14.
Long-legged bat, 100.
Lo]igspui\ Alaska, 175.
chestnut-collared. 175.
Me<*owii, ]70.
Long-tailed cliiclwidec, 103.
Looji, 113.
Lophodytes cucullatu::, 110.
I^ouse\^'ort. 22.
Loxia curvirostra l>i':;ilirei, 173.
leucoptera. 173,
Luml)er .jack, 100.
Lutra canadensis canadensis, 85.
Lutrecila vison encrgunienos, SO.
Lynx, l.iay. 82.
Canada, 81.
canadensis, 81.
Uinta, S2.
M.
HcCown longspur, 170.
MacFarlane screech owl. 150.
Macgillivray warl)ler, 180.
Macrochires. 101.
INIa.giiie. 105.
Mallard, 117.
Mantled ground squirrel, 43.
?.laple, mountain, 20.
;Mareca americana, 118.
206
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
Slui'ila alliiiis, lliL
americiiim, 121.
collai'is, IL'2.
maiila, 121.
valisinciiu, 121.
llnnnota calisata uivari;!. 50.
iiionax peti'ensis, u3.
Blai-sh hawk, 146.
Jlarten, SS.
Martes americana caurina, SS.
Wartes pennantl, 90.
Masked shrew, 100.
Jleadov.'lark, western, 17(J.
Meadow rue, 50.
Mehinerpes erythroeephalus, 100.
Melospiza lincolni lineohii, ITS.
melodia fallax, 178.
Meiiziesia, rusty, 21.
smooth, 21.
Mephitis hudsonica, 91.
Jlerganser, 115.
liooded, 116.
red-breasted, 110.
Mergus americauus, 115.
serrator, 116.
rncropodidie, 102.
Jficrotus drummondi, 63.
mordax mordax, 02.
richardsoni macropus, 01.
Milk vetch, 22.
Mimldfe, 190.
J.Iimulus, rose-red, 21.
Mink, S6.
Jtniotilta varia, 1S3.
Mnintiitidfe, 183.
Mockingbird, 190.
Jlolothrus ater artemisi;e, 169.
Montana juuco, 177.
Moosebird, 106.
Motacillidfe, 187.
Mountain ash, 21, 56, 95.
bluebird, 19S.
chickadee, 193.
goat, 28.
gooseberry, 22.
lion, 79.
pink, 23.
red fox, 84.
sheep, 26.
song sparrow. 177.
sorrel, 30.
Mouse, Jumping, 69.
meadoAV, Drunmiond, 63.
large-footed. 01.
Rocky Jlountain, 02.
Jlouse — Continued.
mountain lemming, .59.
red-backed, CO.
white-l'(3oted, 58.
woods, ,58.
Mule deer, 33.
Muridffi, 58.
Muskrat, 03.
JIustcl.-i ai'izonensis, 87.
cicognanii cicognanii. 88.
longicauda longicauda, 87.
ilustelid.T?. 85.
Myadestes t(jwn.sendi, 195.
]\ryiochanes i-ichardsoni richardsoni,
164.
Myotis lucifugus longicrus, 100.
N.
Nannus hiemalis paciflcus, 191.
Neosorex navigator navigator, 97.
Neotoma cinerea cinerca, 53.
Nettion carolinense, 118.
Xighthawk, Tacific, 161.
Northern phalarope, 132.
pileated woodpecker, 159.
varied thrush, 197.
violet-green swallow. 181.
Nucifraga Columbiana. 107.
Numenius americanus occidentalis, 134.
Nutcracker, Clark, 167.
Nuthatch, red-breasted, 193.
Rocky Jlountain, 192.
Nuttailornis liorealis, 104.
Nyctea nyctea, 156.
Nycteris cinerea, 101.
O.
Ocean spraj-, 20.
Ochotona princeps, 75.
Ochotonid:ie, 75.
Odocoileus hemionus hemionus, 33.
virginianus macrourus, 35.
Odontophorida\ l."5.
Oidemia de,glandi deglandi. 127.
Olive-backed ib.ru.sh, 190,
Olive-sided flycatcher, 164.
Olor buccinator. 129.
columbianus. 129,
Opcn-ornis tolniici, 180,
Orange-crov,'ned warbler, 183.
Oreamnos montanus missoula\ 28.
Osprey, 150.
Otocoris alpestris leucola^ma, 105.
INDEX.
207
otter, 85.
(;>tus asio macfarlanei, l.jG.
Ouzel, water, ISS.
Ovis canadensis canadensis, 26.
Owl, Arctic liorned, 1.56.
great gray, 15-1.
hawk, 156.
MacFarlane screech, 1.56.
Richardson, 154.
Rocky Mountain pygmy, 157.
saw-whet, 155.
short-eared, 154.
snovv'y, 156.
western horned, 156.
Oxyechus vociferus vociferus, 134.
Oxyria dlgyna, 30.
P.
Pachystima myrsinites, 21.
Pacific niglithawk, 161.
Pack rat, 53.
Paludicolse, 131.
Pandion haliaetus carolinensis, 1.50.
Pandionidffi, 150.
Panther, 79.
Paridse, 193.
Passerculus sandwichensis alaudinus,
176.
Passerella iliaca schistacea, 178.
Passeres, 164.
Passerina amcena, ISO.
Pectoral sandpiper, 133.
Pedioecetes phasianellus columbianus,
145.
PelecanidiK, 115.
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, 115.
Pelican, white, 115.
Penthestes atricapillus septentrionalis,
193.
gambeli gambeli, 193.
rufescens rufescens, 194.
Pentstemon, 22.
blue, 21.
purple, 21.
Perisoreus canadensis capitalis, 166.
Peromyscus maniculatus artemisiae, 58.
osgoodi, 5S.
Petrochelidon albifrons albifrons, ISO.
r'ewee, western wood, 164.
Phacelia, 22, 30.
Phalacrocoracidffi, 115.
Phalacrocorax auritus auritus, 115.
Phalarope, northern, 132.
Phalaropodida;, 1.32.
Phenaconiys orophilus, .59.
Phlteotomus pileatus picinus, 1.50.
Phyllodoce enipetriforniis. 22.
I'hyllodoce glamlulillora, 22.
Physiography, 15.
Pica pica huilsonia, 165.
Pici, 158.
Picida-, 1.58.
Picoides auiericanus fasciatus, 1.58.
arcticus, 15S.
Pigeon, 145.
hawk, 149.
Pika, 75.
Pileolated warbler, 1S6.
Pine lily, 21.
siskin, 174.
squirrel, 37.
I'inicola enucleator montana, 171.
Pink snow, 17.
Pintail, 120.
Pinus albicaulis, 22.
PipDo niaculatus arcticus, 179.
I'ipit, 187.
Piranga ludoviciana. ISO.
Pisobia maculata, 1.33.
Planesticus migratorius propinquus,
196.
Plectrophenax nivalis nivalis, 175.
Plover, black-bellied, 1.34.
upland, 133.
Pocket gopher, brown, 73.
Saskatchewan, 71.
Polemonium viscosum, 22.
Pofficetes gramineus confinis, 176.
Porcupine, yellow-haired, 96.
Porzana Carolina, 131.
Prairie falcon, 149.
Flarmigan, southern white-tailed, 139.
Pulsatilla occideutalis, 22.
I'uccoon, 10.
Puma, 79.
Pygopodes, 110.
Q.
Querquedula cyanoptera, 119.
discors, 119.
R.
Rabbit, prairie .lack, 78.
snowshoe, 77.
Rail, sora, 131.
Rallidfe, 131.
208
WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PAEK.
Itaptores, 14;>.
liaspljeiTles, 95.
Kuven, IG7.
Recurvirostra aiuericana, 132.
Kecurvirostridfe, 132.
Ked-backed mouse, CO.
Red-breasted mcifiaiiser, 110.
nuthatch, 102.
Redhead, 121.
Red-headed woo(li>efl;('i-, I'O.
Red-naped sapsu( ker, l-j!).
Redpoll, 174.
Red-shafteil llifkcr, vn.
Redstart, 1ST.
Red-tail, western, 147.
Redwing, thick-liiUed, 109.
Regulus satrapa olivaceus. l'.:4.
Rliynchodon pere,grinus aniitum, 149.
Rhyncophanes mccowni, 170.
Itichardsou ground squirrel, 49.
grouse, 135.
owl, 154.
pine squirrel, 37.
I;iug4]ellied gull, 114.
Ring-necked duck, 122.
Riparia riparia riparia, ISl.
Robin, western, 190.
Rock wren, 191.
Rocky llountaln creeper, 192.
hairy woodpecker, 15.S.
.lay, 100.
laurel, 22.
meadow mouse, 02.
nuthatch, 192.
pine grosbeak. 171.
pygmy owl, 157.
Rodentia. 37.
Rose, prairie, 19.
Ros.s goose, 127.
Ruby-crowned kinglet, 194.
Ruddy duck, 127.
Ruffed grouse, gray. 137.
Rufous huramingbiril, 103.
S.
Sagebrush cowbird, 109.
Salpinctes olisoletus obsoU'tus, 191.
Sandhill crane, 131.
Sandpiper, pectoral, 133.
spotted, 1.33.
Avestern solitary, 133.
Sapsucker, r(>d-naped, 1-59.
Williamscin. 159.
Saw-whet owl, 155.
Saxifrage, 22. 23.
Scaup duck, 121.
Sciuridfe, 37.
Sciurus hudsonicus richardsoni, 37.
ScolopacidjB, 132.
Scoter, white-winged, 127.
Scotiaptex nebulosa nebulosa, 154.
Seiurus noveboracensis notabilis, 184.
Selasphorus platycercus, 163.
rufus, 163.
Senecio, 22.
Service berry, 19, 20, 95.
Setophaga ruticilla, 187.
Sharp-shinned hawk, 146.
Shooting star, 23.
SlKjrt-eared owl, 154.
Shoveler, 119.
Slirew, r)o))S(Mi, 99.
du.sky, 98.
masked, 100.
water, 97.
Shrike, wliite-runi|)ed, 183,
Si,-di.-i currucoides, 198.
Sibbaldia, 23.
Silene acaulis, 23, 140.
Silver-haired bat. 101.
Silver-leaf, 19.
Siskin, pine, 174.
Sitta canadensis, 193.
carolinensis nclsoni, 192.
Sittida?, 192.
Skunk, northern, 91,
Slate-colored fox sparrow. 178,
Snipe. Wilson, 132.
Snowlierry, western, 19.
Snow bunting, 175.
Snow goose, 127.
Snowshoe rabliit, 77.
Siilitaire, Townsend. 195.
Sora rail, 1,31.
Sorex ohsrurus obscurus. 98.
persona tus. 100.
vagrans dobsoni, 99.
Soricidre, 97.
Sorrel, mountain, 130.
Southern white-tailed iilarmigan. 139.
Sparrow, Ganibel, 171.
lark, 176.
Lincoln, 178.
mountain song, 178.
slate-coloi-(>d fox, 178,
tree, 177.
vespei'. 170.
INDEX.
209
Sparrow — Continued.
western cliiiipuig, 177.
we.stern Suvannali, ITG.
white-crowned, 177.
Spatula clypeata, 119.
Sphyrapicus tliyroideu.s natalire, 1.^0.
variiis nuclialis, Wd.
SpinuK pinus yiinus, 174.
Sliir.-pa, .">.1.
Spizella uionticola oclirarea, 177.
pa.sserina arizoni(\ 177.
Spotted sandpiper, 1.33.
Sprins beauty, 23.
Spruce, Canaila, 21.
Squatarola srpiatarola, 134.
Squaw si'ass, 21.
Squirrel liawk. 147.
Siiuirrcl, Ricliardson pine, 37.
SteKaniipodes, 11^.
Stellaria, 22.
Stellula calliope, 103.
Sterna forsteri. 114.
Streptoceryle alcyou alcyon, l."7.
Streptopus, 137.
Striped ground squirrel, 'I'.'l
Sturnella neglecta neglecta, 170.
Subalpine fir, 20, 22.
Surnia ulula cap.'irocli, l.'G.
Swallow, bank, 181.
barn, ISO.
cliff, ISO.
northern violet-green. ISl.
tree, ISO.
Swan, trumpeter, 129.
whistling, 129.
Swift (foxl. S.l.
Vaux, 162,
white-throated, 102.
Sylviidip. 104.
Svringa, 20.
Taehycineta thalassina lepidn, 181.
Taniaraclc, dwarf mountain, 22.
western, 21. 04.
Tanager, western, 180.
TangaridiP, ISO.
Taxidea taxus, 91.
Teal, blue-winged, 119.
cinnamon, 119.
green-winged, 118.
Tern, Forster, 114.
Tetraoniihe, 13-5.
Thick-l)illed redwing, 169.
Thimlileberry, 21, .5-5, .^0, O'j.
Thistle, mountain, 94.
Thomomys fuscus fuscus. 73.
talpoides t.'ilpoides, 71.
Thornapple. black, 20.
Tlirush, Audubon hernnt, 19.1.
northern varied, 197.
olive-backed, 196.
willow, 10.^.
Tiiirell.-i, 21.
Tinnunculus Cdlumliarius coluniiiarius
] 49.
Titmous(-, 193.
Toad, 18.
Totanus iiielanolencns, 133.
Towliee, Arctic, 179.
Townsend solitaii'e, 19."i.
Trade rat, .^)3.
Traill flycatcher, 104.
Transition Zone, 19.
Tree swallow, 180.
Trochilidre, 162.
Troglodytes aedon parknuini, 191.
Troglodytida', 191.
Turdid,i=, 19-1.
Turkey vulture, 14."i.
Tyraunida", 104.
Tyrannus t.\r.-iiinus tyr.-mnus, 100.
V.
Upland pliivcr. l.")3.
Ursida?, 92.
Ursus americaiius, 91.
horribilis imperatnr, 90.
V.
^'aux swift, 162.
Yenus's-looking-glass, 22.
Veratrum viride, 21.
Yermivora celata orestcrn, 1"3.
■\'e,spertilionida^ 100.
Vetch. miUc 19.
Yireo. western warliling, 1S3.
Yireonidw, 183.
Yireosylva gilva swainsDiii, 183.
Yidpes fulva niacroura. S4.
velox helies. So.
Vulture, tui-key, 14.1.
W.
Wagtail,
Vapiti,
1S7
210
WILD AXIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
\Vai'l)lcr, Auduliou, 183.
lilack and white, 1S3.
Macgillivray, 186.
orange-crowned, 183.
pileolated, 1S6.
Townsend, 184.
western yellow-throat, 186.
yellow, 183.
AVater leaf, 22.
Water shrew, 97.
Water ouzel, 188.
Water-thrush, Grinnell, 184.
Waxwing, Bohemian, 182.
cedar, 182.
Weasel, Arizona, 87.
Bonaparte, 88.
long-tailed, 87.
Western birch, 19.
chipping sparro«', 171.
crow, 167.
evening grosbeak, 171.
flycatcher, 164.
golden-crowned kinglet, 194.
goshawk, 147.
grebe, 110.
harlequin duck. 124.
horned owl, 156.
house wren, 191.
lark sparrow, 176.
mourning dove, 145.
redtail, 147.
robin, 196.
solitary sandpiper, 133.
tanager, 180.
tree sparrow, 177.
vesper sparrow, 176.
warbling vireo, 183.
white-tail deer, 35.
winter wren, 191.
wood pewee, 164.
yellow-throat, 186.
A\'hite-barked pine, 22.
White-crowned sparrow, 177.
White-footed mouse, forest, 58.
White goat, 28.
pelican, 115.
White-rumped shi-ike, 185.
White-tail deer, 35.
White-throated swift, 162.
White-wingod crossbill, 102.
scoter, 127.
Wild cat, S2.
Willow, 21.
dwarf, 23, 143. ■
thrush, 195.
Williamson sapsncker, 159.
Wilson snipe, 132.
Wilsonia pusilla pileolata, 186.
AVind flower, 22.
purple. 19.
^Voodchuck, brown, 53.
AVoodpecker, Alaska three-toed, 158.
Arctic three-toed, 158.
Batchelder, 158.
Lewis, 161.
northern pileated. 157.
red-headed, 160.
Rocky Mountain liairy, l.jS.
AA'oodrat, gray Inishy-tailed, 53.
AVolf, gray, 82.
AA^oods mouse, 58.
AA'olverine, 90.
AVren, rock, 191.
western house, 191.
western winter, 101.
X.
Xerophyllum tenax, 94.
T.
A'ellow-bellied chipmunk. 40.
Yellow-legs, greater, 133.
Yellow pine, 20.
A'ellow-throat, western, 186.
Yellow warbler, 183.
A'cw, western, 21.
Z.
Zamelodia melanocephala melanoceph-
ala, 179.
Zapodida;, 69.
Zapns princeps princeps. 69.
Zenaidura macroura marginella, 145.
Zone, Arctic-Alpine, 23.
Canadian, 20.
Hudsonian, 22.
Transition, 19.
Zonotrichia gambeli, 177.
leucophrys, 177.
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