1572 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 237 part 3 



in the month (DuBois, 1937a; Saunders, 1921), in southwestern 

 North Dakota at Dickinson between April 9 and May 3 (9 years, 

 Sorenson, letter, 1964), and in the Regina, Saskatchewan, environs 

 during the last two weeks of the month (Belcher, 1961). The earliest 

 data for spring arrivals in southern Alberta seem to be that of the 

 Macouns (1909) who saw two individuals at Medicine Hat Apr. 21, 

 1894. That same year Spreadborough (Rand, 1948) collected this 

 species at the same place on April 26. These dates correspond pretty 

 well with Margaret Belcher's (1961) observations in the Regina, 

 Saskatchewan, region where she cites Ledingham's April 15 as an 

 early date (letter, 1964). 



In Saskatchewan dates recorded by Belcher (1961) —the last two 

 weeks of April — presumably hold comparatively true for that part 

 of the province west and south of Regina. W. Earl Godfrey (1950) 

 lists two adult male specimens in the National Museum of Canada 

 taken at Crane Lake near the Alberta border Apr. 25, 1894. 



In its usual penetration northward in spring McCown's apparently 

 stays well south of Saskatoon (Bremner, letter, 1965). Houston 

 and Street (1959) have no records for the Saskatchewan River between 

 Carlton and Cumberland. In the grasslands east and west of the 

 "elbow" region of the South Saskatchewan River it still finds suitable 

 habitat for breeding purposes, although Roy (1964) finds that it 

 ranges "from rare to fairly common depending on the area and the 

 year." I am greatly indebted to C. Stuart Houston of Saskatoon 

 and his indefatigable researches which include data on nearly all 

 of my Saskatchewan references. On a vegetation distribution map 

 C. S. Houston laid out the range of McCown's longspur in terms of 

 greater and lesser densities of population. In a note (1965) he 

 reminds me: "Notice how well range corresponds to yellow prairie 

 area of enclosed map." 



Cameron (1907) regards McCown's as "seemingly a most punctual 

 migrant." Writing about its spring appearance in Dawson and Custer 

 Counties, Montana, he adds, "My notes give April 26, 27, and 29, 

 for 1897, '98 and '99 as dates of first appearance." Davis (letter, 

 1964) collected a specimen near Judith Gap on April 26. 



In Montana McCown's is frequently in the vanguard of spring, 

 arriving during the last harsh vestiges of winter. Perley M. Silloway 

 (1902) in Fergus County remembers that: 



It was on April 24, 1889, on a cloudy, raw afternoon, when I had gone out 

 upon the neighboring bench to look for evidence of belated spring. In the bed of 

 a miniature coulee that crossed my path was a bank of snow, sullenly giving way 

 before the weak assaults of the advancing vernal season. Crouching under the 

 lee of a small stone, and hugging the edge of the snow-bank, a new bird caught 

 my eye. The stranger was apparently as interested in the featherless biped as 

 I was in him, for he allowed me to approach until I could observe every detail 



