\ 



1921 BIRDS OF MONTANA 125 



in ^lay, 1917 (Kittredge, MS). An unusual record is that of a single bird, found 

 in a flock of J. h. vonnectens at ^lissoula, April 15, 1915 (Kittredge, MS). 



239. Junco hyemalis hyemalis (Linnaeus) 



Slate-colored Junco 



A regular migrant in the eastern part of the state, being fouud occasionally 

 west to the mountain valleys, but not yet reported from west of the continental 

 divide. Reported to breed in eastern Montana, but the fact that only one ob- 

 server reports this suggests that aikcni may have been mistaken for kyerimlis. 

 Reported from Fort Keogh, with the statement that a few breed (Tliorne, 1005, 

 p. 217), in Custer and Dawson counties (Cameron, 1908a, p. 42), from 'ixallatiu 

 County (Saunders, 1911a, p. 43), and from other localities mentioned ]»elow. 



The migrations take place in April and from September to >s'ovember, as 

 indicated in the following records. Spring: March 2, 1900, one; April 5, 

 13 and 16, 1902, three more at Miles City (Hedges, coll. Univ. Montana'! ; Galla- 

 tin County, April 16 to May 19, 1909, and April 2, 1911; Dutton, April 11 and 

 22, 1915, and April 11 and 25, 1916 (DuBois, MS). Fall; Gallatin County, 

 September 11 to November 11, 1908; Choteau, November 7, 1912; Great Falls, 

 October 10, 1915 (Kittredge, MS). 



240. Junco hyemalis oreg-anus (J. K. Townsend) 



Oregon Junco 

 A rare migrant in the western part of the state. The only definite record 

 is that of one taken on Clear Creek, Deer Lodge County, October 9, 1910 (Saun- 

 ders, 1912c, p. 107). I believe, however, that this form will prove to be rather 

 commoner than this single record indicates. I secured a male bird in Gallatin 

 County, October 6, 1908, which I believe to have been oreganus, but was unable 

 to save the specimen. I have seen many others that appeared to belong to orfi- 

 ganns rather than connectens. 



241. Junco hyemalis connectens Coues 



Shufeldt Junco 

 An abundant migrant in the western part of the state, wintering in smaller 

 numbers on the west side of the divide, and evidently breeding in the northwest- 

 ern part. In the northern half of ^lontana this form is rare on the east side oi" 

 the divide in migrations, but the migrant flocks evidently cross the divide in 

 la)-ge numbers about the middle of the state, for in the valleys and lower moun- 

 tains in the southwestern part this bird is very abundant in migrations. This 

 bird was originally reported as the breeding form at Flathead Lake fSilloway, 

 1901a, p. 35), but more recently a breeding bird taken there proved to be nioii- 

 ianus (Saunders, 1916c, p. 86). Mr. Kittredge, however, has found connectens 

 ])reeding at Missoula and in other places in northwestern ^lontana. Tf identi- 

 fications are all correct, this seems to indicate that the two forms are ideally sep- 

 arate species, as was supposed at first. 



