88 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 14 



176. Empidonax trailli trailli (Audulion) 



Traill Flycatcher 



A conuiion summer resident of western Montana, west of the continental di- 

 vide. ()c(mrs more rarely on the east side of the divide, and intergrades witli 

 <ihiiirii)ii eastward. This species is common at Flathead Lake (Silloway, IDdla, 

 p. r)(i), hut not anywhere else in the state. It is not recorded from the Bitterroot 

 Valley. It may be commoner than supposed, however, being a species that is 

 easily overlooked. It has been recorded as a rare summer resident in the follow- 

 ing localities: Gallatin County (Saunders, 1911a, p. 39); northern Lewis and 

 Clark County (Saunders, 1914a, p. 134) ; Lewistown, one taken August 3(1, 1SI)S 

 (Silloway, 1903a, p. 39). 



The spring migration takes place in May, the fall movement is probalily in 

 August, for there seem to be no dates later than this. Dates of migration are as 

 follows: Bracket Creek, Gallatin County, May 21, 1909, one bird taken which is 

 an intergrade between this form and alnoriim; Choteau, May 24, 1912. August 

 dates are the one above at Lewistown, and one fi'om Gold Creek, Powell County, 

 August 27, 1910. 



The nest has been found only at Flathead Lake, where the bird breeds very 

 commonly in the thickets of alder, willow and thorn that line the edge of the lake 

 and the banks of rivers and streams. A nest containing three young was found 

 July 8, 1902 (Silloway, 1903b, p. 297). On July 27, 1915, I found two nests of 

 this species at Poison, along the banks of the Pend Oreille River, near the outlet 

 of Flathead Lake. The nests were in thorn bushes, and about twenty-five feet 

 apart. Each nest contained five .young ready to leave, in fact they left at my 

 near approach. 



177. Empidonax trailli alnorum Brewster 



Alder Flycatcher 

 Probably a rare summer resident of extreme eastern IMontana, intergrading 

 with trailli westward. This form is stated to breed in eastern Montana (Ameri- 

 can Ornithologists' Union, 1910, p. 216), and it probably does so, but I know of 

 no definite published breeding record. Taken at Fort Keogh, June 8 (Thorne, 

 1895, p. 215) ; seen at Terry, May 18, 1894. and Jlay 11 to 19, 1896 (Cameron, 

 1907, p. 392). An intergrade between this form and trailli was taken on Brack- 

 ett Creek, Gallatin County, May 21. 1909 (Saunders, 1911a, p. 39). It is stated 

 to be "pretty generally distributed . . . through . . . ^Montana" (Bendire, 

 1895, p. 305), but no specific Jlontana occurrence is cited. 



178. Empidonax minimus (W. M. & S. F. Baird) 



Least Flyc;atcher 

 A common summer resident in the eastern half of the state, evidently in- 

 creasing in numbers, and slowly spreading its range westward. It has been 

 found practically throughout the state, but is still rare west of the continental 

 divide. All early writers report this species as rare, or not common, but the most 

 recent oliset'vations sliow that in suitable localities it is now abundant. It breeds 



