1921 BIRDS OP MONTANA 113 



1900, p. 81). The occurrence of the Pine Siskin in sunnner in the eastern part 

 of the state indicates that it breeds there, probably mainly in the pine hills. In 

 western Montana it breeds both in evergreen forests and in cottonwood groves. 

 In some localities it is found in the valleys, where not far distant from the moun- 

 tains, such as the Gallatin Valley (Saunders, 1911a, p. 42), but it is abundant 

 only in the mountains. 



Tlie migrations are somewhat irregular. Spring dates are as follows: Colum- 

 ])ia Falls, April 10, 1894 (Cooke, 1910b, p. 140) ; Gallatin County, May 26, 1909; 

 Divide Creek, Silver Bow County, Ajiril 23, 1910; Bozeman, May 27, 1911; 

 .Missoula, April 15 (Kittredge, MS). Fall dates are: Bozeman, September 13, 

 1908 ; Pipestone Basin, Jefferson County, September 24, 1909 ; Elk Park, Silver 

 Bow County, September 8, 1910; Lubec, Teton County, September 27, 1911, and 

 Sun River, Lewis and Clark County, September 12, 1912. There is one winter 

 record of this species in the state, at Bitterroot Valley, Fe])ruary 24, 1912 

 V Bailey, MS). 



This species undoubtedly nests commonly, but there are few records of the 

 finding of nests. One which I found on Middle Creek, Gallatin County, was 

 half built on June 21, 1909, and the last of four eggs M^as laid June 26. This 

 nest was situated in a cottonwood only a few feet from the ground, at the bottom 

 of a mountain canyon. Another nest, containing young, M'as shown me by Mr. 

 Thomas in Bozeman. It was Iniilt in a young planted Douglas fir, about five 

 feet from the ground, and the four young left the nest on the evening of August 

 19, 1909. Young were noted on the wing at Belton, August 21, 1915 (DiiBois, 

 MS). 



219. Plectrophenax nivalis nivalis (Linnaeus) 



Snow Bunting 



A common but erratic and somewhat irregular winter visitor. Found in 

 valleys and on prairies, mainly at low elevations, throughout the state, but 

 records are most common from the prairies east of the divide. Through the 

 prairie region of the state, all observers who have made observations in winter 

 note its occurrence. In the mountain valleys it has been recorded in Gallatin 

 Valley (Pyfer, 1898, p. 15), at Missoula, November 28, and at Trego, February 

 19 (Kittredge, MS). 



^ligrations are as follows : Northern Montana, average of six years arrival, 

 October 31, earliest, October 26, 1895 ; average of six years departure, March 

 17, latest April 2, 1890 (Cooke, 1913, p. 17) ; Custer and Dawson counties, earli- 

 est, November 18, and latest, March 16 (Cameron, 1907, p. 405) ; Fort Keogh, 

 arrives November 14, and leaves March 17 (Thorne, 1895, p. 216). 



220. Calcarius lapponicus alascensis Ridgway 



AlaskxV Longspur 

 An erratic winter visitor, chiefly in the eastern half of the state, on the 

 prairies, but occurring in the mountain valleys in migrations. Most of the rec- 

 ords are given as lapponiciis, but the only specimens that have been carefully 



