160 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 14 



The nest of the Red-breasted Nuthatch has been found near Helena 

 (Crooker, 1893, p. 83), and at Flathead Lake, where 1 found two nests where 

 birds were feeding young late in July, 1915. Young out of the nest were noted 

 at Belton, July 15, 1914 (DuBois, MS). 



312. Sitta pygmaea pygmaea Vigors 



Pygmy Nuthatch 



A permanent resident of western ^lontana, evidently in the Transition 

 zone, in the yellow pine forests of the foothills. Reported as common only from 

 Ravalli County. Apparently more numerous years ago than now. In 1860 this 

 species was reported as common to the eastern base of the Rocky ^lountains 

 (Cooper, 1869a, p. 74), and later it was reported from Prickly Pear Canyon, 

 now in Lewis and Clark County (Cooper, 1869b, p. 298). Since then it has been 

 reported as a common resident in the foothills of Ravalli County (Bailey, MS) ; 

 it was included in the Fergus County list by Silloway (1903a, p. 6S), who, how- 

 ever, merely quotes Cooper, adding no observations of his own. A single speci- 

 men has been taken on Wild Horse Island, Flathead Lake, July 2, 1914 (Saun- 

 ders, 1915b, p. 112). !\Ir. Kittredge informed me by letter that he has met this 

 species but once in western ^lontana, at Thomi)son Falls, but 1 was unable to 

 obtain the date of this record. 



In 1919 this species occurred at Miles City with the great flight of Red- 

 breasted Nuthatches. Of this species Mr. Hedges reports six seen August 24 and 

 three taken; one seen August 26; and two, August 31. The birds were in Cot- 

 tonwood groves along the river. This same summer a single bird was reported 

 as seen by Thomas in the Beartooth Mountains at 10,()()0 feet, between July 

 14 and 17. 



313. Penthestes atricapillus atricapillus (Linnaeus) 



Eastern Chickadee 



A common permanent resident of northwestern ^lontana, west of the con- 

 tinental divide. Occasionally found in southwestern Montana in winter. This 

 is the form of Chickadee which bi-eeds at Platiiead Lake, and jirobably through- 

 out northwestern ^lontana, south to about tlie vicinity of ^lissoula. and possibly 

 also in the Bitterroot Valley. The birds are indistinguishable in appearance 

 from those of the eastern United States, though geographically they are a sep- 

 arate race, occupying an intermediate region betAveen the large, light colored 

 sepientrionalis to the eastward, and the smaller, dark colored occidenialis to the 

 westward. This subspecies breeds in the Transition zone, in cottonwood groves 

 along streams and in mixed broad-leaf and coniferous forest. 



The nest has been found at Swan Lake, June 6. 1902, containing seven eggs 

 advanced in incubation (Silloway, 1903b, p. 296). A chickadee belonging to 

 this form was taken at Bozeman, November 26, 1908 (Saunders, 1911a, p. 48), 

 indicating that it migrates southward to some extent in winter. Wliih' this indi- 

 vidual might be considered an individual variant of scptcnlrionalis, the resident 

 form at Bozeuuin, that this is probably not the case is indicated by the fact that 



