1921 BIRDS OF MONTANA 89 



in Cottonwood groves of the Transition zone, and is not foamd in the mountaiuh. 

 In extreme eastern Montana it is reported as not common at Fort Keogli 

 (Thorne, 1895, p. 392^. This was in the period from 1888 to 181)2. Two other 

 records are cited for Custer County, May 25, 1893, and i\Iay 18, 1SI)4 (Cameron, 

 1907, p. :i!)2). In the T'niversity of IMontana collection tliere are seven s])eci- 

 mcns, including young of the year, taken in 1900 and 1902 in the vicinity of 

 Miles City hy C. F. Hedges. In Gallatin County one was taken on Bear Crcilc 

 as the result of two season's work, in 1888 (Richmond and Knowlton, 1S!I4, p. 

 304), but in 1908 and 1909 the bird was found to be breeding reoularly in the 

 Cottonwood lined streets of Bozeman (Saunders, 1911a, p. 311). The bird is now 

 an abundant summer resident in Teton and Lewis and Clark counties (Saun- 

 ders, 1914a, 1). 134) and is also common at Livingstone, and along the Missouri 

 Kiver in Broadwater ('ounty. It has recently occurred w<'st of the (•(lutini'Utal 

 divide, where it may i)e e.\|)ected to increase in numbers in the near future. Tliese 

 records are at Big Fork, Flathead Lake, June 3(1, 1914 (Saunder.s, 1915b. ]). Ill ) ; 

 a specimen taken at Big Fork in 191(1 (Sloanaker, .MS) ; at ^lissouhi, when' it 

 was noted June 22, 1915, and later, and was evidently breeding on the I'niversity 

 of JFontana campus (Kittredge, MS). 



The spring migrations take place the latter jiart of .May. Dates are as fol- 

 lows: Huntley, May 13, ]88(i (Cooke, 190S, p. 117) ; Custer County. May 25. 181)3. 

 and May 18, 1SI)4 (Cameron, 1!)()7, p. 392); Bozeman, :\Iay 27, 190'.). .May 2S. 

 1911; Choteau, .May 22. 1912; .Miles City. May 4, 1902 (Hedges, in <'oll. Fniv. 

 Montana). Fall migration evidentl.v takes ])lace in August, at least thei-e ai'e 

 no records later than that montli. Occurrences at Bozeman, August 8. IDOS. and 

 August 2, 1909, and at Miles City, August 4, 19()0 (Hedges, coll. Fniv. :Montana) 

 comprise the only August records of whicli I know. 



The nest of this species was firsi found in Montana on June 17, 1S(;2. lie- 

 tween Forts Union and Benton (Coojier, lS(i9b, p. 295), indicating that the siie- 

 cies has bred in the state many years. Auothei' nest is recorded from Fort C'us- 

 ter, June 25, 1885 (Bendire. 1895, p. 312). The bird nests in Teton County, 

 where eggs are laid about the middle of June, and young fly in the latter half 

 of July (Saunders, 1914a, p. 134). 



179. Empidonax hammondi (Xantus) 



Ham MUNI) Fl,VC.\TCHER 



A suiumer I'esident of the uiounlains in western Montana. Not conuuon. and 

 not reported from many localities. It is. however, proliably distributed [iretty 

 well through all the mountain ranges. The species is easily ovi-rlooked and eon- 

 fused with the next, and unless an observer is familiar with it. and the differ- 

 ence between its notes and those of wrighti. its jiresi-nee is not liable to be de- 

 tected. The Hammond Flycatcher has been found in eastern Montana once, and 

 evidently breeds there rarely, probalily in the pine hills. The species was first 

 found in the state August 20, 1874. in the Rocky Mountains along the northern 

 border (Cones, 1874b, p. 612). It has also been recorded from Gallatin County 

 (Richmond and Knowlton, 1894. p. 304) ; from Silver Bow and Jefferson conn- 



