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The pine siskin is commoner up the mountain slopes than 

 near the lake shore. We noted it at all elevations up to 9,200 

 feet. Its call is so much like the ])laintive "pee" of the gold- 

 finchj which it also closely resembles in appearance except when 

 the latter is in nuptial plumage, that one unacquainted with 

 the pine siskin might fail to notice it as a different species. 

 The young of the year appear to show brighter yellow in their 

 plumage than the elders, which further adds to its likeness to 

 the goldfinch. 



In August the pine siskins were observed clinging to the 

 heads of the giant hyssop, which grew extensively along the 

 roadsides near the Station. A small flock would thus congre- 

 gate in a patch of the hyssop, feeding from the heads in the 

 manner of goldfinches, the resemblance being increased by the 

 bright colors of some of the young of the year and by the gold- 

 finch-like chirps of the pine siskins. The horse mint, Monarda 

 fjstulosa, was also a favorite food of this species. 



540 a. WESTERN VESPEE SPAEROW, Poocaetes gramineus 

 confinis Baird. 



This vesper sparrow occurs abundantly throughout the prairie 

 regions of the Eeservation. It frequents the grainfields and 

 margins of the ranches in numbers, and is especially noticeable 

 near the lake shore, where it visits the water's edge to refresh 

 itself from the heat of the summer afternoons. Near tlie lake 

 it appeared to be almost as numerous as Brewer's blackbird, 

 at the time of our visit. 



546 a. WESTEEN GEASSHOPPER SPARROW, Ammod- 

 ramus savannariim perpallidiis (Coues.) 



This sparro^^ was found to be colnmon on the prairie local- 

 ities of the Reservation, and several specimens were taken for 

 identification. The males would frequently sit on a post of the 

 rail fences and utter their queer songs, and also emit a sharp 

 stridulating chirp or call, scarcely regarding our presence. 



560 a. WESTERN CHIPPING SPARROW, SpizeUa socialis 

 arizonae Coues. 



The western chipping sparrow was found abundantly ever}--- 

 where throughout our travels in the Flathead Reservation. 



