78 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 14 



lacking in the mountains of southwestern ^Montana oi' the pine hills of the eastern 

 half. (See fig. 17.) 



156. Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Linnaeus) 



Red-headed Woodpeckek 



A eonnnon sunoner resident of eastern Montana, ranging west to the foot- 

 hills of the mountains, but becoming rare westward. Observers in the eastern 

 l)urt all record this species as common. West of the middle of the state, how- 

 ever, it becomes rare. The westernmost records are from the Belt Mountains, one 

 seen (Williams, 1882a, p. 63) ; Gallatin County, near Bozeman, one taken, now 

 in the collection of the Montana Agricultural College (Saunders, 1911a, p. 38) ; 

 Choteau, July 16, 1911, one seen ; and Strabane, Teton County, June 5, 1912, two 

 seen (Saunders, 1914a, p. 133). Jones and Dawson (1900, p. 32) first noted this 

 species between Billings and i\Iiles City, when travelling eastward across the 

 state. 



This sf)ecies is said to arrive in the middle of May and leave the middle of 

 September (Cameron, 1907, p. 133). Nests have been found in Custer and 

 Dawson eovinties, in June, but there seems to be nothing more definite than this 

 about the nesting of this species in the state. 



157. Asyndesmus lewisi Riley 



Lewis Woodpecker 



A common summer resident in the western half of the state. Breeds in the 

 Transition zone, in Cottonwood groves or yellow pines at low elevations. The 

 easternmost records are Lewistown, I\Iay 18, 1899 (Silloway, 1903a, p. 36), Camp 

 Baker, Meagher County (Grinnell, 1876, p. 648), Sun River (Cooper, 1869b, p. 

 298), base of Rocky Mountains along the northern border of the state (Coues, 

 1874b, p. 617), and Billings (Thomas, MS). At the last place it is reported rare, 

 but it becomes more common westward in the pine hills about Big Timber, which 

 evidently marks the most eastern point where the species occurs commonly in the 

 southern part of the state. This species is not a bird of the mountains in Mon- 

 tana, as some writers would lead one to suppose. It occurs mainly in tlie foot- 

 hills, in yellow pines and in cottonwood groves along stream borders. 



Migration dates are as follows : Chestnut, Gallatin County, JMay 8, 1909 ; Big 

 Hole River, May 1, 1910 (Saunders, 1912a, p. 26) ; Missoula, May 9 (Kittredge, 

 MS). Fall dates are Gold Creek, September 21, 1910 (Saunders, 19r2a, p. 26), 

 and Missoula, September 17 (Kittredge, MS). 



The only definite nesting dates would indicate rather late lireeding on the 

 part of this species. The birds were found feeding young in a nest at Flathead 

 Lake, July 28, 1900 (Silloway, 1901a, pp. 52-53), and again near Garrison, Pow- 

 ell Comity, July 2fi, 1910 (Saunders, 1912a, p. 26). 



158. Colaptes auratus luteus Bangs 



Northern Flicker 

 A rare summer resident of eastern Montana, occurring west to the moun- 



