BIRDS. 



193 



cheeks, seen walking head down on the side of a tree trunk, was 

 found on all sides of the park, notably at Many Glaciers, Going-to-the- 

 sun Camp, Waterton Valley, Koatenai Trail, and Lake McDonald. 

 It is less frequently seen than heard, its soft henk-hevh-henk-hcnh^ 

 catching the ear from a distance. Sometimes it is only a flute-like 

 hanh that penetrates the woods, but it is redolent of balsamic odors 

 and the still depths of the forest. 



Red-breasted Nuthatch : Sitta canadensis. — The red-breasted nut- 

 hatch with black and white stripes o-n the side of its head was seen, 

 August 30, at Lake McDonald. 

 Mr. Bryant, of California, found 

 it there on July 18, and on Mc- 

 Donald Creek July 31. In June, 

 1895, Messrs. Baile}^ and Howell 

 reported it from St. Mary Lake 

 as " quite common around camp." 

 In the winter of 1899-1900 Mr. 

 Higginson found both it and the 

 white-breasted around Stanton 

 Lake, '' more frequently on the 

 highland." 



Family PARID^: Titmice. 



Long-tailed Chickadee: Pen- 

 thestes atrlcap'dlus septentr'ion- 

 alis. — As several species of chick- 

 adees may be found in the park, 

 the flocks should be examined 

 carefully. The long-tailed, with 

 its plain white cheeks and un- 

 derparts and its pale gray back, 

 was seen on Swiftcurrent Creek, 

 Kootenai Trail, and Lake McDonald, families of grown young being 

 found in the forest in many places, although the birds are more 

 likely to breed in the partly open valle3"s. 



In April, 1918, Mr. Bailey found the long-tailed chickadees com- 

 mon from Belton to the Kintia Lakes, especially along the willow 

 bottoms. 



Mountain Chickadee: Pentliestes gamheli gamheli. — Mountain 

 chickadees, easily recognized by the white line over the eye, are 

 common in the park, so that their delightful and varied notes may be 

 studied at will. In speaking of the birds around his winter camp 

 at Stanton Lake, Mr. Higsinson wrote, " Of course the chickadees 



Photograi.hl.y F,. l;. \\::ri. . 



Fig. 91. — Long tailed chickadee. 



