42 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 14 



!>. 15). Three obtained from the nest alive in 1906, locality not given (CoaiL', 

 1915, p. 89). Three pairs and a single bird seen June 28, 1914, north of Havre 

 in northern Choteau County, by W. L. Thomas. A pair reported by ranchers 

 to have remained on Big Lake, Stillwater County, throughout the si;mmer of 

 1917, and to have raised three young, two of which were shot. These birds wei-e 

 l)resent again in 1918 (Thomas, MS). 



The following is a summary of Montami records from ilr. II. K. Coale's 

 recent article on this species (1915, pp. 82-90) : Common up to twenty years 

 ago, and formerly wintered regularly in Montana. Nested up to 1881 on Rodgers 

 Lake, twenty miles west of Kalispell, and on Swan Lake and lakes in the Clear- 

 water. An adult male was taken at the mouth of the Flathead River, November 

 16, 1910. Taken at St. Mary's Lake in the fall of 1912, and at Cut Bank, Teton 

 County, November 10, 1913, and at Stillwater Lake March 11, 1902. Records of 

 this species from other sources are from Custer and Dawson counties May 1, 

 1884, and October 27, 1905 (Cameron, 1907, p. 251). Breeds on the Yellowstone 

 (Coues. 1874a, ]i. 544) ; August 27, 1856 (Baird, 1858, p. 759). One killed by 

 Col. Buell about December 10. 1S77, at Fort T. C. Smith (:McChesney, 1879, 

 p. 2394). 



54. Mycteria americana Linnaeus 



Wood Ibis 

 A young bird was taken at Ennis, on the Madison River in Octolier, 19(12 

 (Cooley, 1903, p. 210). This specimen, mounted, is now^ in the collection of the 

 Montana Agricultural College at Bozeman. An adult was observed on the Yel- 

 lowstone, near Custer, on May 4,1918, from a distance of about 50 yards (Thomas, 

 MS). Mr. Thomas became familiar with this species on a collecting trip in 

 IVIexico. He writes that a rancher showed him this bird and stated that it had 

 been there the previous .year. 



55. Botaurus lentiginosus (Montagu) 



Bittern 



Migrant in suitable localities probably throughout the state. Sunniier resi- 

 dent, at least along the northern border, and probably anywhere in the state 

 where grounds suitable for its breeding exist. Breeding records : Flathead Lake 

 (Silloway, 1901a, p. 40) ; Malta (Willett, 1907, p. 105) ; Teton County (Saun- 

 ders, 1914a, p. 129) ; Bitterroot Valley, rare breeder (Bailey. MS). Records in 

 migration are from Custer and Dawson counties (Cameron. 1907, p. 251) ; Gal- 

 latin Count,y (Richmond and Knowlton, 1894, p. 302) ; Fergus County (Silloway, 

 1903a, p. 15) ; and Bitterroot Valley, several seen every fall (Bailey, MS). 



Migration dates are as follows: Terry. April 23, 1893 (Cooke, 191:5a, p. 

 28) ; Lewistown, May 19 (Silloway, 1903a, p. 15) ; and Choteau, May 13, 1912 

 (Saunders, 1914a, p. 129). 



56. Ixobrychus exilis (Gmelin) 



Least Bittern 

 A dead liird, badly decom]iosed. found at Big Lake, Stillwater County, in 



