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1921 BIRDS OF MONTANA 89 



in Cottonwood groves of the Transition zone, and is not found in the mountains. 

 In extreme eastern ^lontana it is reported as not common at Fort Keogh 

 (Thorne, 1895, p. 392). This was in the period from 1888 to 1892. Two other 

 records are cited for Custer County, May 25, 1893, and May 18, 1894 (Cameron, 

 1907, p. 392). In the University of Montana collection there are seven speci- 

 mens, including young of the year, taken in 1900 and 1902 in the vicinity of 

 Miles City liy C. F. Hedges. In Gallatin County one was taken on Bear Creek 

 as the result of two season's work, in 1888 (Richmond and Knowlton, 1891, p. 

 301), but in 1908 and 1909 the bird was found to be breeding regularly in the 

 Cottonwood lined streets of Bozeman (Saunders, 1911a, p. 39). The bird is now 

 an abundant summer resident in Teton and Lewis and Clark counties (Saun- 

 ders, 1914a, p. 134) and is also common at Livingstone, and along the Missouri 

 River in Broadwater County. It has recently occurred w^est of the continental 

 divide, where it may be expected to increase in numbers in the near future. These 

 records are at Big Fork, Flathead Lake, June 30, 1914 (Saunders, 1915b, p. Ill) ; 

 a specimen taken at Big Fork in 1916 (Sloanaker, MS) ; at Missoula, where it 

 was noted June 22, 1915, and later, and was evidently breeding on the University 

 of Montana campus (Kittredge, MS). 



The spring migrations take place the latter part of IMay. Dates are as fol- 

 lows: Huntley, May 13, 1886 (Cooke, 1908, p. 117) ; Custer County. :\lay 25, 1893, 

 and I\Iay 18, 1894 (Cameron, 1907, p. 392) ; Bozeman, May 27, 1909. iMay 28. 

 1911 ; Choteau, May 22, 1912; Miles City, JMay 4, 1902 (Hedges, in coll. Univ. 

 Montana). Fall migration evidently takes place in August, at least there are 

 no records later than that month. Occurrences at Bozeman, August 8, 1908, and 

 August 2, 1909, and at Allies City, August 4, 1900 (Hedges, coll. Univ. ■Montana) 

 comprise the only August records of which I know. 



The nest of this species w'as first found in Montana on June 17, 1862, be- 

 tween Forts Union and Benton (Cooper, 1869b, p. 295), indicating that the spe- 

 cies has bred in the state many years. Another nest is recorded from Fort Cus- 

 ter, June 25, 1885 (Bendire, 1895, p. .312). The bird nests in Teton County, 

 where eggs are laid about the middle of June, and young fly in the latter half 

 of July (Saunders, 1914a, p. 134). 



179. Empidonax hammondi (Xantus) 



Hammond Flycatcher 



A sunnner resident of the mountains in western Montana. Not common, and 

 not reported from many localities. It is, liowever, probably distributed pretty 

 well through all the mountain ranges. The species is- easily overlooked and con- 

 fused with the next, and unless an observer is familiar with it, and the differ- 

 ence between its notes and those of wrighti, its presence is not liable to be de- 

 tected. The Hammond Flycatcher has been found in eastern Montana once, and 

 evidently breeds there rarely, probably in the pine hills. The species was first 

 found in the state August 20, 1874, in the Rocky IMountains along the northern 

 liorder (Coues, 1874b, p. 612). It has also been recorded from Gallatin County 

 (Riclimond and Knowlton, 1894. p. 304) ; from Silver Bow and Jefferson coun- 



