SUMMER BIRDS OF FLATHEAD LAKE. 299 



were five eggs, loosely covered with material similar tt that of the nest. 

 The eggs v/ere partially incubated, and had acquired the browned, baked 

 appearance peculiar to eggs of the grebes after lying some time in the 

 nest. On June 7, a second nest of this grebe was found, situated in 

 bushes on overflowed ground. It was made as usual of decaying material, 

 with which some green reeds in short pieces were intermingled. This 

 nest was founded on coarse dead twigs, probably brought up from the 

 ground below. These eggs were also covered with material like that 

 in the nest, the four eggs being somewhat advanced in incubation. Nest 

 No. 3 was noted on June 17, with five eggs, uncovered, and quite fresh. 

 They were of a pale greenish-white color, not having changed to the ap- 

 pearance described in a foregoing account. This nest was made as usual, 

 anchored in the edge of old reeds. It is worth while to state that on 

 June 12, this nest held two eggs, on June 14, three, and June 17, five. A 

 fourth nest was noted June 17, with three eggs about half incubated. On 

 June 18, another nest of Holboell's grebe was examined, which was in 

 the willow bushes in the edge of the overflow area. It was made on 

 depressed branches, a large strong nest, twenty-four inches across at the 

 surface of the water, rising four inches above the water, with a cavity 

 seven and one-half inches across, one and one-half inches deep. This 

 nest was made as the others, of old reeds with some new material on 

 top. There were four eggs, incubation far advanced. On June 20, a 

 set of three eggs was found in a large nest anchored in the edge of a 

 small clump of reeds, the eggs being partially incubated. The last nest 

 of this series was examined June 20, and contained four fresh eggs. 

 It was a large mass of dried decaying material anchored among thick 

 reeds, with two opposite approaches through the reeds to open water. 

 The eggs were not covered, but being fresh were of the bluish-white tinge. 



On July 4, 1903, a nest of the Louisiana tanager was found in a tall 

 fir tree in front of the Biological Station building. The birds were ob- 

 served to frequent the place, and by close watching the female was seen 

 to take her place upon the nest. It was about twenty-five feet from 

 the ground, on a dwarf branch among others which were the lowest bear- 

 ing vegetation. The site was a horizontal fork, and the nest was held 

 in place by surrounding twigs. It was made outwardly of coarse forky 

 twigs, the walls being chiefly made of fine rootlets, and there was a lining 

 of horsehair. The cavity was two and three-fourths inches in diameter, 

 and one and one-half inches deep. When the nest was collected the 

 female was sitting, and she remained on the nest until I had nearly 

 reached the branch. The tuft of twigs in which the nest was made was 

 about four feet from the main stem. There were four eggs, about one- 

 half incubated. They are pale bluish green, with specks of blackish 

 brown distributed sparsely over the surface. When removed from its 

 site, the loose twigs in the outer part of the nest fell away like that part 

 of a grosbeak's nest. 



On July 15, a nest of Townsend's warbler, Dendroica townsendi, was 

 found in a clump of small firs on a rocky ridge of the Helena club grounds. 

 The site was unusually low, being only six feet from the ground in a small 

 fir surrounded by larger ones. The nest could be seen only by a person 



