1921 BIRDS OF MONTANA 105 



.May :2(), ami tln' sc-t of six was eonipleti-d May l'^. Twti otlu-i' s,'ts of six were 

 found on this same date, and on ;\Iay 127 a set of st'Vtai and one of cifflit were 

 found. The late.st nest of which I have I'eeord had *:lie set of I'ive eygs com- 

 ]ihMed on June (i, 1912. Tliese nests were all in the same colony. From other 

 sourees the earliest nest is May M. ^W2, at Polwm (Silloway. l!Mi:ib. \>. 207 i . 1 

 have found the nest in (Jallatin County with four eti-s's, .May 2S, lll(l!l. The 

 latest reeord for e^ars is -lune 2S. IDdf), in Custer County (Cameron. 11)07. |). 4i»()). 



202. Quiscalus quiscula aeneus Rid^way 



Bkonzed Grackle 



A common summer resident of eastern Jlontana, ranging westward to the 

 bases of the mountains. All ohsei'vers in eastern Montana recoi'd this species 

 as common or ahundanl. hut westward it liecomes rare. The westernmost rec- 

 ords are from the Rocky Mountains, August 28, 1874 (Cones. 1874b, p. 606) ; 

 Choteau, a pair taken :\Iay 25, 11)12 (Saunders, l!)14a, p. 136): Great Falls 

 (Williams, 1888a, p. 15); and Bozenian and l'.e|crade, (lallatin County (Saun- 

 ders, 1911a, p. 41). 



The Bronzed Graekle is stated to arrive at the end of April in Custer 

 (.'ounty, April 25, 1895, and April 25, ^S'.H^,. bein^ t;iven as dates of arrival 

 (Cameron, 1907, p. 401 ). These ai'e the only migration dates available at pres- 

 ent for the spring, and there are none foi- the fall. I have noted the species in 

 Great Falls, May 1, 1912, when several pairs were seen. These birds, however, 

 may have arrived earlier than this date, as 1 was at Great Falls onl.y for a few 

 liours at tlie time. 



Eggs have been found June 1, 1S9:!. and June 3. 1894, in (."uster County. 

 Eggs were observed to hatch on June 11. and young noted on the wing by July 

 15 (Cameron, 1907, p. 401). Others have mentioned the nesting of this species, 

 but there are no othei- definite dates. 



203. Hesperiphona vespertina montana Ridgway 



Western Evening Grosbe.\k 



An erratir- resident, found throughout the state at various seasons. Pi'ob- 

 ably breeds in yellow pine forests in the moimtains, and in the pine hills of thi' 

 Transition zone. ^lost connnon in migrations, but found fre(iaently in wintei- 

 and sometimes in sunnner, when there are no indications that it breeds. 



Summer records: Flathead Lake, common, probably breeding (Silloway, 

 1903a, p. 60). It still occm-s n-gularly in the yellow pine woods at Flathead 

 Lake every summer, but the nest has ni'vei' been located. Fort Custer, flock 

 seen July 24, 1889 (Mearns, 1904, p. 21). June 6. 1900, one nude, Custer 

 County, and August 23, 1904, one male, Dawson County (Cameron, 1907, p. 402). 

 Bitterroot Valley, seen thi-oughout the summer of 1908 (Bailey, ^IS). Belton. 

 July 28, 1914, and July 22. 1915 (DuBois, RIS). Willow Creek, Powell County, 

 September 14, 1910 (Saunders, 1912a, ji. 28 1 . These are all the records that 

 may indicate the breeding of this species. The nest has never been found in 

 the state. 



