—75— 



SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 



Oi the one hundred twenty-eight species included in the 

 foregoing list, it is probable that at least eight are fall mi- 

 grants, breeding in the far north and entering the United 

 States early toward the close of summer. It is likely that the 

 remaining one hundred twenty species breed in the Mathead 

 Lake region or near the northern border of the state. At 

 least thirty of the birds listed are permanent residents of the 

 region; the others are summer residents only, spending the 

 colder months in more southern localities. 



In this connection it may not be amiss to make a brief 

 statement of facts, gathered from the preceding notes, which 

 are considered as worthy of special emphasis. The long-tailed 

 chat, Ideria virens longicauda, according to the A. 0. U. 

 Check List of North American Birds, ranges north to southern 

 Montana; our obsei-vations continue the northward range 

 of this chat to beyond the middle line of the state, as we 

 found it common at Selish in the middle of June. The note 

 relating to the occurrence of the swamp sparrow, Melospiza 

 georgiana, may require revision, as the specimen passed from 

 the hands of the collector, who was unable to obtain author- 

 itative identification; the skin is now in the University collec- 

 tion, and will receive careful attention in due time. The same 

 statement applies to the specimen labeled western gull, Larus 

 occidentalis, as there is a doubt regarding its identification. 

 If authentic, it may denote an unusual eastern range for this 

 gull. 



The abundance of the western evening grosbeak in the vicin- 

 ity of the Biological Station should be remarked. From the 

 middle of July the characteristic chirp of this grosbeak was 

 especially noticeable, and at that time parent birds were gen- 

 erally observed feeding young of the year in the trees near the 

 station. There is no doubt that this gi-osbeak breeds plenti- 

 fully in the neighborhood, and I am of the opinion that it 

 nests later than is generally supposed, thus causing its nest- 

 ing to be frequently overlooked. 



In conclusion, the writer desires to thank the Director o£ 

 the University of Montana Biological Station, Prof. M. J. 

 Elrod for the excellent facilities afforded and the opportunity 

 of a thorough study of the summer birds of the region under 

 consideration; also to thank the President of the University of 

 Montana, Dr. 0. J. Craig, for the neat and artistic manner 

 in which this report is presented for public distribution. 



