164 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 14 



north (Saunders, 1914a, p. 143), the Belt Mountains (Williaros, 1882a, p. 62), 

 Fergus County (Silloway, 1903a, p. 68), and the Big Horn Mountains (Merrill, 

 1881, p. 204). Occurs in migration in the valleys and in the prairie region, in 

 (;ottonwood groves, willow thickets and similar places. It is rare eastward ou 

 the i)rairies, however. 



The migrations take j)lace mainly in April and early May, and in Septem- 

 her. Five years at Columbia Falls give an average of April 14, with the earliest 

 date April 11, 1893 (_ Cooke, 1915c, p. 122). Other dates are: Gallatin County, 

 May 7, 1909; Norton Gulch, Silver Bow County, ^larch 31, 1910. a single male 

 secured, l)ut the species not common till April 12; Anaconda. April 20. 1911. 

 Fall dates are as follows: Columbia Falls, two years' average October 10, latesr 

 October 12, 1896 (Cooke, 1915c, p. 125) ; Pipestone Creek, Jefferson County, 

 September 26, 1909 ; Gold Creek, Powell County, September 20, 1910. Records 

 of migration in the valleys and on the prairies are as follows : Fort Keogh, Sep- 

 tember, 1889, one (Thorne, 1895, p. 218). Fort Keogh, September 22, 1900, one 

 male (Hedges, coll. Univ. Montana) ; Great Falls, May 9, 1887 (Williams, 1888a, 

 p. 15) ; Choteau, May 25. 1912; Bitterroot Valley, April 20, 1911. May 12. 1911, 

 and May 27, 1913. 



A nest with eight eggs was found in the Big Horn Mountains. June IS. 

 1880 (Merrill, 1881, p. 204), and a nest with eight young a^: Flatheatl Lake. July 

 6, 1903 (Silloway, 1903b, p. 300). 



320. Myadestes townsendi (Audubon) 



TOWNSEND SOIJTAIKE 



A regular summer resident of the mountains in the western half of the 

 state, occurring more rarely in summer in the badlands of the eastern half. A 

 rather rare winter visitor to the mountain valleys in the western half, and to the 

 badlands of the eastern half. Breeds chiefly in the Canadian and Hudsonian 

 zones, but also occasionally in the Transition. Found in the vicinity of rocks, 

 either about rock cliffs and slid(\s in tlie mountains, about morainal rocks below 

 glaciers, or on the sides of canyons, on prairie buttes and in the badlands. Xol 

 reported by all observers, as the bird is rather rare in most localities and liabK 

 to be overlooked. This is particularly true in winter, or in late summci-. when 

 it is not in song, and is (juiet and inconsi)icuous. 



Summer i-ecords are as follows: Flathead Lake, two seen, one taken (Sillo- 

 way, 1901a, ]). 73). Six in July and one in August, 1892, at Lame Deer, Custer 

 County (Thorne, 1895, p. 218). Gallatin County, in the mountains (Saunders. 

 1911a, ]). 48). Southwestern Montana, common in the mountains (Saunders, 

 1912a, p. 32). Helena, July 11, 1911 (Saunders, 1912f, p. 219). Mountains of 

 Teton and northern Lewis and Clark counties (Saunders, 1914a. p. 143). Rare 

 breeder in the mountains of Ravalli County (Bailey, MS). 



Records in migration, with dates, where given, ai-e as follows: Fei-gus Coun- 

 ty, seen once in fall (Silloway, 1903a, p. 69). Arrivals in spring: Middle Creek, 

 Gallatin County, May 1, 1909; Norton Gulch, Silver Bow County. :\larch 15, 

 1910. Departure in fall: Traill Creek, Octobei- 10, 1908; Pi[)estone Creek, Oc- 



