la21 BIRDS OF MONTANA 111 



213. Acanthis linaria linaria (Linnaeus) 



Redpoll 



An ahundant Imt ratlici- irregular winter visitor tlironsiliout the stHti\ All 

 observers who iiavc exteudi-d tiieir observations to the winter season, mention 

 thf oeeurrenee and abundance of this species. It is found every winter, but 

 there is some difference in its abundance from year to year, and considerable 

 irregularity in the dates of appearance. It usually appears in October and i-e- 

 mains till April, but in the mountains, or in valleys of high elevation in the 

 western half of the state, it sometimes jirrives in September and remains until 

 May. 



Dates of migration are as follows: Fall ai'rival, average of three years at 

 Terry, October 29, earliest, October 23, 1903; Columbia Falls, average of four 

 years, October 24, earliest, October 7, 1895 (Cooke, 1914b, p. 19) ; Bear Canyon, 

 Gallatin County, September 11, 1908; Three Forks, October 17, 1909; Anaconda. 

 October 12, 1910; and Big George Creek, Teton County, October 22. 1911; ear- 

 liest arrival at Missoula, November 7; at Neihart, October 7. 191.5 (Kittredge, 

 JIS). Spring departure, average at Terry, four years. Ajiril 14, latest April 

 17, 1896 (Cooke. 1. e.) ; Bridger Canyon, Gallatin County. .May 21, 1909; Ana- 

 conda, April 26, 1911: Choteaii, April 23, 1912; Bitterroot Valley. March 26. 

 1912, and April 5, 1913 (Bailey, MS); JMissoula, A|.ril 2:! (Kiltredge. .MS); 

 Dutton, May 18, 1917 (l)uBois. .MS). In the spring of l!ll(> this species evi- 

 dently left very early. I was in the field constantly that .vear from February 24 

 till summer, but did not note the birds at all. This was in the mountains of 

 Silver Bow and Jefferson counties. Redpolls had been present during the win- 

 ter as I had noted them in January and earlier in February. 



214. Acanthis linaria holboelli (Brehm) 



HoLBOELL Redpoll 

 Two taken at .Miles (Jity, March 2, 1900, by C. F. Hedges (Bishop, 190], p. 

 195). This form may be commoner than this one record indicates, but consid- 

 erable collecting will be necessary to detect its presence. 



215. Acanthis linaria rostrata (Coues) 



Gre.vter Redpoll 

 Three taken at Miles City, :\Iarch 1 and 6, 1900, by C. F. Hedges (Bishop, 

 1901, p. 195). The remark concerning the last mentioned species w^Il apply 

 here also. Mr. Silloway believes that he has seen all the four Montana forms of 

 Acanthis at Lewistown (1903a, p. 51). He states that the subspecies rostrata is 

 seen more commonly with rosy finches than with other redpolls. With the hope 

 of finding it, I have collected several redpolls found in comi)any with Ijiikiis- 

 tictc. but they luive all ])roved the common form, linaria. 



^16. Astragalinus tristis tristis (Linnaeus) 



Eastern Goldfinch 

 Summer resident of extreme eastern Montana, intergrading westward with 



