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60 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 14 



MS). Fall dates: Sedan, Gallatin County, September 2(i, 1!)()S; Kaee Tniek, 

 Deer Lodge County, September 26, 1910 (Sannders, 1912a, p. 25). 



106. Cathartes aura septentrionalis Wied 



Turkey Vulture 



Formerly abundant, at least in the eastern half of the state. .Xow I'are 

 everywhere, and not recorded at all from the extreme noj-thern pai-t. Th<' 

 slaughter of the bison in the early days has been given as the reason for tiie for- 

 mer abundance and present rarity of this species. Early records: Yellowstone 

 River, 1872 (Allen, 1874, p. 65) ; Fort Custer, 1878 (IMcChesney, 1879, p. 2)592), 

 and 1889 (Mearns, 1904, p. 20) ; abundant generally, 1862 (Hayden, 1862, p. 

 151) ; abundant on the plains of the upper ^lissouri (Grinnell, 1876, p. 650) ; 

 common, Gallatin County, 1888-90 (Richmond and Knowlton. 1894, p. 302). 



Recent records : Custer and Dawson counties, formerly abundant, numer- 

 ous in the fall of 1883, nested till 1887, and records of its occurrence until 1906 

 (Cameron, 1907, p. 259); Gallatin County, rare in 1909 (Saunders, 1911a, |). 

 35); seen at Lombard, April 23, 1909; Deer Lodge and Silver Bow counties, 

 rare, but reported nesting; seen November 1, 1910 (Saunders, 1912a, p. 25) ; 

 Ravalli County, rare, seen May 4 and November 29, 1911, reported to breed in 

 the mountains (Bailey, ^IS). Occurs near Billings, where it is neither common 

 nor rare, and probably breeds (Thomas, MS). 



107. Circus hudsonius (Linnaeus) 



Marrh Hawk 



An abundant summer resident on the plains and prairies, and in the moun- 

 tain valleys throughout the state. Reported by nearly all observers, and noted 

 as breeding. One of the most abundant of ^lontana hawks. Winters occasion- 

 ally west of the continental divide. 



Nesting data: Marsh Hawks evidently nest the last of ]May in Montana. 

 Nesting occupies about two months, and the young are on the wing in August, 

 when the species suddenly becomes very abundant in the valleys. Dates for 

 nesting are as follows: ^lay 26, 1912, nest with the first egg laid. Set of six 

 completed June 6, Teton County. Another in same locality had the first egg 

 May 27 and four eggs June 8, 1912 (Saunders, 1913b, pp. 99-104). Fergus 

 County, nest with the first egg May 18, 1901, and five eggs May 25. A second 

 nest ^lay 30, with five eggs, advanced in incubation (Silloway, lf)()3a, p. 45). 



.Migrations: Spring arrival, Bozeman, March 19, li)09: Stuart, Silvei- Row- 

 County, April K;, 1911: Teton County, April'7. 1912; Dutton, April 3, 1915; 

 .Alarch 22. 1916; April 11, 1917 (DuBois, .MS). Fall departure: Three Forks, 

 October 17, 1909; Missoula. October 30, 1902 (P]lrod, coll. Fniv. Montana). 



Winter I'ecoi-d : A f(nv i-ciiinin all the year in the I>itterroot Valley (Bailey, 

 MS). 



108. Accipiter velox (Wilson) 



SiiARi'-siiiNNED Hawk 

 A common siiiniiicr i-esident in the mounlains of the w<'stiTn liall* ol' the 



