May, 1915 BIRDS OF KOOTENAI COUNTY, IDAHO 121 year, caused by'the Washington Water Power Company in Spokan'e River at Pos$ Falls. The annual spring thaw and.melting of deep snow in the mountains causes a heavy rise of the water lasting till the early part of June, and with the back- ing up of low water of the lake caused by the dam, a greater part of the marshes, flats and shores are covered to such a depth that very few species of birds are to be found. A large portion of the southern end of the lake, Chat- colet Lake and St. Joe Valley were formally included in the Coeur d'Alene Indian reservation and being free from settlement offered seclusion to many waterfowl. The opening of this reservation to settlement in 1906 has had a tendency to lessen the numbers of shore birds and Anatidae formerly seen in this locality. One-fourth of the area of Kootenai County is embraced in the Coeur d'Alene National Forest Reserve; also a small portion including Chatcolet Lake has been set aside as a State Park. As Chatcolet Lake has always been a favorite resort of waterfowl, it is hoped the protection now offered will tend to increase the numbers as well as species. The protection offered by the For- est Reserve mgy in time'have a noticeable effect in the increase of many species which prefer the dense coniferous timber, and mountainous regions. The old Fort Sherman military reservation, which was well represented in species, was abandoned in 1898 and later sold at public auction. It is now well built up and is a continuation of Coeur d'Alene City. (See fig. 46.) The following list of species has been prepared from personal observa- tions dating from March, 1910,.to December, 1914. Species marked with an asterisk are, to the best-of my knowledge, new records for this vicinity, In the preparation of the list I desire to express my obligations to Mr. J. Grinnell and to the Smithsonian Institution, for assistance in identifications of specimens, and to Mr. F. A. Shallis, a local taxidermist, for the privilege of examining and measuring a number of specimens in the flesh. Aechmophorus occidentalis. Western Grebe. Not common fall and winter visitor on Lake Coeur d'Alene; also seen on Fernan Lake. Most frequently observed from September to December. A few may remain throughout mild winters when the lakes do not freeze over. Colymbus nlgricollis californicus. Eared Grebe. Rar? in this locality. One adult' specimen examined October 9, 1912, taken on Lake Coeur d'Alene. (Recorded in Co.?ooR, xv, p. 41.) Podilymbus podiceps. Pied-billed Grebe. Not common fall and winter visitant on Lake Coeur d'Alene. Largest numbers noted on the lake during the month of November, 1914. Gavia iramet. Common Loon. Rare. resident. Several young seen on Fernan Lake in fall; and young males examined, taken on Lake Coeur d'Alene. Gavia stellata. Red-throated Loon. Rare. One specimen examined, a young female, taken on Lake Coeur d'Alene, October 6, 1912. (Recorded in CONOOR, XV, p. 41.) Larus delawarensls. Ring-billed Gull. Not common fall and winter visitor on Lake est numbers seen on Lake Coeur d'Alene, during the fall of 1912. Very few noted in 1913-14. Larus philadelphia. Bonaparte Gull. Not common fall and winter visitor on Lake Coeur d'Alene.
- $terna hitundo. Common Tern. Rare.' One specimen examined, taken on Lake
Ooeur d'Alene.
- Hydrochelidon nigra surlnamensis. Black Tern. Fairly common on St. Joe
marshes in June, 1914; probably breeding. One seen at Hayden Lake in June, 1914. Mergus americanus. American Merganser. Rare fall and winter visitor. Two adult males examined, taken at Hayden Lake, November 19, 1914.
