Bird Life of North Dakota yg 



303. Ccrfhia familiaris americana Bonaparte. Brown Creeper. 



Schmidt, 1904; nesting in western North Dakota. Judd, 1917, p. 28; rare, an 

 irregular migrant, no known instance of its breeding. Stevens, 1918, No.' i, p' 47- 

 two seen on Christmas Day at Fargo, North Dakota. ' ■ > ■ > 



I did not see this species in the field, but there was a mounted one in 

 the Agricultural College Museum at Fargo, labelled November 16, 1912. 

 It must be recorded as a rare migrant in North Dakota. 



304. Siffa carcUncusis carolincnsis Latham. White-breasted Nuthatch. 

 Schmidt, 1904; eastern North Dakota. Judd, 1917, p. 28; tolerably common 



migrant, probably breeding in the Turtle Mountains. Stevens, 1918, p. 47; saw two 

 on Christmas Day near Fargo, North Dakota. Freeman, 1919, p. 16; permanent 

 resident. 



Mr. Reid observed it in the Missouri River bottom on April 12-13, 1921, 

 and on October 22, 192 1. 



This species was found at Devils Lake, May 7, 192 1, but was not very 

 common. On June 5 I saw one at Lake Upsilon, Turtle Mountains. 



305. Sitta canadensis Linnaeus. Red-breasted Nuthatch. 



Schmidt, 1904; all over North Dakota as a migrant. Judd, 1917, p. 28; not 

 uncommon during September and October, but not noted in the spring. Frexman, 

 1919, p. 16; common in spring and fall. May 7. Bailey, 1919, p. 227; September 2, 

 near Sweetwater Lake. 



I did not see this species in life, but saw a mounted bird in the Agricul- 

 tural College at Fargo, taken at Grafton, September 21, 1913, by Henry 

 Williams. The nuthatches are very beneficial, as they destroy both larvae 

 and eggs of many injurious species of insects. 



306. Pcnthcstes atricapilliis scptentrionalis (Harris). Long-tailed Chickadee. 



CouES, 1878, p. 554; an abundant resident of the region of the Upper Missouri 

 in all suitable situations. Schmidt, 1904; breeding in central North Dakota. 

 Thwaites, 1906, p. 208 ; October 30, 1833, near Fort Union, Maximilian records see- 

 ing the titmouse among the willow bushes. Larson, 1913, p. 94; common on the 

 river bottom, McKenzie County, in the timber. Not often found any other place. 

 Judd, 1917, p. 28; rather common resident in the Turtle Mountains, also has records 

 from there. Freeman, 1919, p. 16; very common, permanent resident. 



In 1920 the species was seen in the Turtle Mountains, August 2, and at 

 Devils Lake, August 24. They were at the lake on May 9, 192 1, and at 

 Medora from July 14 to 21. On June 28, 192 1, I saw a family of five in 

 the thick woods along the Sheyenne River near Anselm, Ransom County. 



The species is beneficial in its food habits, living almost entirely on the 

 eggs and larvae of injurious insects. 



307. Peiithestes hudsonicus hudsonicus (J. R. Forster). Hudsonian 



Chickadee. 

 The only record known to me is of a bird taken November 20, 1919, at 

 the State Fish Hatchery on Lake Upsilon, by Mr. Alfred Eastgate. It may 

 occur as a winter resident or only as a straggler in the Turtle Mouutains. 



