Montana

The average altitude of Montana is 3,400 ft., with more than one-half of the State lying under 3,00o feet. This low average, much lower than that of any other Rocky mountain State, to some extent offsets its northern position and tempers the climate.

Climate.

In the west the climate is generally delightful, it being there greatly affected by the warm, dry "Chinook" wind which blows from the Pacific ocean ; to some extent the wind modifies the temperature nearly to the eastern border.

The mean annual temperature ranges from 37° in the north east to in the sheltered valleys among the mountains. The amount of precipitation is greater in the north-west and on the mountains which, standing in isolated groups upon the plains, are frequently in summer the focus of local thunder showers. The average annual precipitation ranges from io to 15 in. on the Great Plains to 20 in. or more in the north-west and in limited areas in the higher mountain region. Nearly one-half of the rain falls during the four months from May to August inclusive.

Fauna.

The buffalo, or bison, which formerly ranged the plains in large herds, were almost exterminated, but were repre sented by a herd of 459 animals (1923) on the national bison range of 20,000 ac. in western Montana. Moose and elk are found only occasionally in the wilder regions ; mountain sheep, antelopes, black and grizzly bears, wolves, pumas and lynx are also becoming rare. Black-tailed and mule deer are still favourite game for sportsmen. Geese, ducks and grouse are numerous. Trout, salmon, grayling and whitefish inhabit many of the lakes, rivers and moun tain streams, and a Government fish hatchery at Bozeman, Gal latin county, restocks depleted waters.

Flora.

The Great Plains are covered for the most part with bunch grass only, which grows in tufts, leaving the ground visible between, and except in May and June presents a yellow and withered appearance. Mixed with the bunch grass are buffalo grass and blue-joint and occasional patches of sagebrush. The bluffs along the principal river valleys, especially those in the south-east, are bare, but on the bottom lands along the rivers and streams considerable patches of cottonwood and willows are com mon. On the higher parts of the mountains are barren rocks where the growth of timber is scant ; but many of the lower mountain slopes, especially those along the western border, are clothed with heavy timber, chiefly yellow pine, red fir and tamarack.

Government.

The State is governed under a constitution adopted in 1889. To amend this constitution an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of each house of the legislature is required, followed by an affirmative vote of a majority of the electors voting thereon at the next general election ; or, as an alter native method, by a like vote of each house of the legislature and of the electorate, a convention may be called to revise or amend it, a revision or amendment in this manner requiring the ratification of the electorate not less than two months nor more than six months after the adjournment of the convention.

The officers of the executive department are the governor, lieu tenant-governor, secretary of State, attorney-general, treasurer, auditor and superintendent of public instruction, each of whom is elected for a term of four years. The governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, appoints various administrative offi cers, the more important being the register of lands, the State forester, the State engineer, the dairy commissioner, the commis sioner of labor and industry, and the mine inspectors. He may veto any bill passed by the assembly, or in the case of a bill making appropriations of money he may veto any item of it, and no bill or item of an appropriation which he vetoes within five days (Sunday excepted) after it has been presented to him can become a law or a part of a law unless passed over his veto in each house by a two-thirds vote of the members present.

The legislature consists of a senate and a house of representa tives, meeting regularly on the first Monday of January in odd numbered years only. Senators are elected, one from each county, for a term of four years ; representatives are elected, one or more from each county according to population, for a term of two years. The senators in 1937 numbered 56, and the representatives 102. The action of the legislature is much restricted by the Con stitution, a long list of cases being named in which that body is prohibited from passing any local or special laws. In 1906 an amendment to the State Constitution authorized a limited initia tive and referendum. The administration of justice is entrusted to a supreme court, 17 district courts, and at least two justices' courts in each organized township, besides police and municipal courts. The supreme court is composed of a chief justice and four associate justices elected for a term of six years. It holds four sessions a year at Helena and has limited original and plenary ap pellate jurisdiction. For most district courts there is only one judge, but for the more populous districts there are two judges; they are all elected for four years. Montana has two representa tives in the U.S. Congress, elected from two separate districts.