1921 BIRDS OF MONTANA 173 



first noted in Fergus County in 1903, and at Helena in 1902 (Silloway, 1903a, 

 p. 70). It reached Bozeman, somewhere between 1898 and 1908 (Saunders, 

 1911a, p. 42). It was stated to be absent in northern Montana in 1906 (Esta- 

 brook, 1907, p. 131). While it is entirely absent in wild country away from the 

 haunts of man, it is by no means limited to cities, but is found at any cluster of 

 ranch buildings, where grain is scattered in sufficient quantity to keep the birds 

 alive. 



HYPOTHETICAL LIST 



Marila marila (Linnaeus) 

 Scaup Duck 

 Found in large numbers on Lake MacDonald in April, 1918 (F. M. Bailey, 

 1918, p. 53). This is evidently a sight record. While I do not doubt that this 

 species occurs as a migrant in Montana, all the records based on specimens prove 

 to be M. affinis, and the two species are too nearly alike to admit one to the list 

 on sight identification only. 



Somateria dresseri Sharpe 



Eider 

 One shot at Glendive and identified by a Norwegian (Cameron, 1907, p. 250). 

 Since Mr. Cameron evidently did not see this bird, and the name of the person 

 who identified it is missing, the record is best considered doubtful. 



Nycticorax nycticorax naevius (Boddaert) 

 Black-crowned Night Heron 

 Two birds seen close to the North Dakota line in June, 1917 (Thomas, MS). 

 While this record is probably entirely correct, it seems best to leave the species 

 on the hypothetical list until a specimen has been collected. 



Himantopus mexicanus (Mliller) 

 Black-necked Stilt 

 A rare summer resident of the Lake Basin, near Billings, breeding at Big 

 Lake and at other places in the vicinity (Thomas, MS). This is rather far north 

 of the known breeding range of this species. Mr. Thomas' observations were 

 first made in 1917. He saw the birds again in 1918, and attempted to verify 

 the record by securing a specimen, but was unable to do so. I have therefore 

 placed the species in the hypothetical list, with the hope that the record will be 

 verified in the near future. 



Buteo borealis harlani (Audubon) 

 Harlan Haw^k 

 Seen in Dawson County, August 25, 1905 (Cameron, 1907, p. 263). Since 

 this subspecies has been taken in North Dakota, its occurrence in eastern Monta- 



