1921 BIRDS OF MONTANA 41 



In cai'ly i-i'i-oi-(ls the liir<l wms i-cpoiicd lirrcdiiii;' on tlir .Missiiiii'i ( ( 'dues, 

 1S741), p. (i-tl); Cooper. lS(i:);i. p. s:; : (iruuicll, iSTti. p. (.:)4). and on 1lir Yellow- 

 stone and ^Inssellsliell rixcrs (Allen, 1874, p. ()7). In these early i-eports. and 

 also in some of the i-icent ones, the hirds are i.-jiorted to nesf in 1 rees. in old 

 nests of hawks and ospreys (.Merrill, ISH:!, pp. 124-12-")). Where hi'eedinii; on 

 islands, liowe\-er, lliey freipientl.v also nest on the L;i-oiind. 



Migration reeoi'ds are numerous and ])raetieall.\' t hi'oiiehoiii Hh state. Dates 

 of niigralion are as follows: Averaizc arii\al in Custer and Dawson e<iiiiities. 

 March 27 (Cameron, 1907, pp. 250-2r)l ) ; Terry, average of ten years. .Mai'eh 27 

 (earliest February 28, 1SI)2, latest Ajiril 4. ls:i7) : Colnmliia Kails, average of 

 five years, March 24 (earliest, .March 17, IS!).")) ; (Jreat Falls, average of three 

 years, iAIarch 12 (earliest. .March Id, ISS'.)). Fall minration: Cohnnhia Falls, 

 average of foui' .years, .Xovt'mher 2ll (latest, Xoveniher 24, ISI).')) ( ( 'ooke. llMMia., 

 pp. 74-77). Norton (inh-h. Silver How County. ]\Iareh 2:'.. IHKI. Teton County, 

 Xovemher 24-2S. 1!)12 (Sanndi-rs, li)14a. p. 12lh. I'.itteiaoot X'alley, April 17-20, 

 litn ; April l:i-14, 1!)12 (Bailey. .MSi. 



f)!. Branta canadensis hutchinsi (Richardson) 



Hl-TCHINS Goe)SE 



A migi'ant, i-e|)orte<l fi-om hut two loi'alities: Tei-ry, Oetoher 4. r.Hi:') (Cam- 

 eron, 11)117, p. 2.')1), and S.^pti'inlxM- 22, li)(l4 (Cooke, llioiia. p. 7S i ; and P.iir 

 Iloi'n Hiver. three secured fi'om a large flock in .Xovemhei', 1U17 iTlioiiias. MS). 



52. Olor columbianus ( ' >rd ' 



WlIISTI.I-Vli SWAX 



A migrant, prohahl.x' in most parts of the state, though difficulty in dis- 

 tinguishing this species from the next, makes it hard to sa.\' ,iust how ahundant 

 the bird is. It has hi'en rci'orded i-ertainly from Custer and Dawson countii-s 

 (Cameron, ll)(i7, |). 2.')() i . the Ilighwood hakes (Feltoni. Teton County (Saun- 

 ders, l!)14a, p. 12!)), and (iallatin County (Saiindei's, l!)lla, p. :',:',). A large flock 

 was reported from .Madison Lak'e in Se|)teml)er. 11117 (Thomas, .MS). ^Migrant 

 swans that probably belong to this species ari' also I'i'corded from Jefferson anil 

 Deer Lodge counties (Sannders, l!)12a, p. 24). In the Bitteri'oot Valley a swan is 

 reported as a rare migrant, bnt the species is in (piestion. The birds oi'cui-red 

 April 11-1."), ]!)l(l, and April 17-2(1, IIHI (liaih'y. .MSi. Other migration data 

 that ar<' ])rol)ably mainly for this speciis an" Teton ('oiint.x'. .\pial 2.!. 11)12, 

 October :)1, 1!111, and Xovemher !)-2,s. 1!112. 



o3. Olor buccinator (Richardson) 



Trim PETER S\v.\x 

 Formerly a summer resident in suitable localities thi-oughout the state. .Xow 

 still found in some numbers in migration, and peiliaps evi-n I'oiiniioncr at that 

 season than the above species. The species possibly breeds in the more remote 

 parts of the, state, but recent <lata concei-ning the bi-eedmg are from unsatisfac- 

 tory sources, and attempts to locate breeding ai-eas lia\-e been unsuccessful. The 

 most recent ])reedinu- I'ceords are as follows: Highland Lak-es (Silloway. l!)(18a. 



