Journal R.E.Johnson 1966 West Fork Yaak River, 5000 ft., Lincoln Co., Montana (cont.) July 7 I descended the south slope of Davis Mtn. & finished exploring the meadows & ledges between Davis Mtn. & Ewing Pk that I first looked at on June 27. These meadows, ledges, & snow fields are of the type that one would expected to find Ptarmigan in, but are south facing & thus dry up very rapidly after snow melt. There is no area of similar size & elevation in these mountains which is located on a north slope of a mountain. The apparent absence of Ptarmigan in these mountains is probably due to the rapid drying of the habitat, high temps (higher than at similar elevations in Glacier Nat. Park for example), & perhaps total absence of suitable habitat by the end of the season. At this time small patches of habitat exist, separated by large gaps of dry habitat or barren areas. Horned Larks are also absent since there is none of the high alpine pavement of the type they prefer. Ridges & Mtus are either boulders, trees, or snow. Little soil exists to the small turf patches existing are more like pipit habitat than lark habitat. Pipits do not occur in these mountains even though there are patches of the appropriate habitat. The amount of habitat may be too small & too widely spaced. Also it may be too dry before the end of breeding. Grouse scat is fairly common at high altitudes, but this is probably Blue Grouse and