1921 BIRDS OP" MONTANA 117 



223. Pooecetes gramineus confinis F.aird 



Western Vesper Sparrow 



An abundant suiiuiu'i- resident throughout the state. Found in trrass mea- 

 dows of the prairie region and in the mountain valleys, and on grassy slopes 

 about the foothills of the mountains throughout the I'pper Sonoran and Transi- 

 tion zones. All observers report this species as common or abundant. 



The migrations occur in late April or early May, and in September or Octo- 

 ber. The average date of arrival in three years at Terry is April 28, with the 

 earliest April 27, 1896. Three years average at Great Falls, April 29. earliest 

 April 27, 1889. At Columbia Falls, three .years' average May ti, with the earliest 

 April 26, 1894 (Cooke, 1911, p. 87). Other dates are: Gallatin Valley, April 

 :iO, 1909; Divide Creek, Silver How Coiaity. April 27. 101(1: Anaconda, April 

 20, 1911; Choteau, April 28, 1912; Lewistown, iMay 1, 19iiO, and April 25, 1901 

 (Silloway, 1903a, p. 54) ; Bitterroot Valhy, April 29. 1911. .May .i. 1912. .\pril 

 13, 1913 (Baile}% MS); Button, Jlay 1, 1915. .May 4, 1916, and .May 9. 1917 

 (DuBois, MS) ; Missoula, April 21 (Kittredge. .MS). Fall departure dates are: 

 Big Sandy, October 30. 1906 (Cooke, 1911. ]>. 87); Bozeman, September 28, 

 1908; White-tail Park, Jefferson County. September 2(;, 190!); Gold Creek, 

 Powell County, September 21, 1910; Collins, Teton County. September 18, 1911 ; 

 Jlissoula, September 24 (Kittredge, MS). 



One occurrence of this species in the state in winter is rei-orded : ilissoula. 

 December 25, 1915 (Kittredge, 1916, ]). 30). 



The Western Vesper Sparrow nests late in ^lay or early in June, probably a 

 little earlier on the west side of the divide. The earliest date for eggs is from 

 Flathead Lake, May 30, 1902; another nest in this locality had newly-hatched 

 young on June 2 (Silloway. l!)03b, ji. 296). Kast of t!ie divide thi' earliest nest 

 is Lewistown, June 4. 1900 (Silloway. lOOMa. \). 54). There are evidently two 

 broods, the latest nest recorded ln'iiii:- in Gallatin County, near .Manhattan, with 

 fresh eggs August 16, 1918 (Thomas. .MSi. 



224. Passerculus sandwichensis alaudinus liouaparte 



Western Savaxn.vh Sparrow 



A common suiinuer resident of the northwestern part of the state, west of 

 Ihe continental divitle. l^p to a few years ago this form was listed as occurring 

 throughout the state, but the evidenc-(- now goes to show that the form bi-eeding 

 on the east side of the divide is m cadi itsis. and that (ildiidinus is confined to tlu' 

 west side. Too little collecting has l)een done to make any certain statements 

 about either form. There are birds from various parts of the state that are not 

 typical of either subspecies. Specimens from Flathead Lake are more nearly 

 alaudinus than any other form, but not perfectly typical. This species breeds 

 throughout the Transition zone in wet meadows, where it is generally common, 

 though often overlooked by observers. It is rei)orted from the Bitterroot Val- 

 ley (Bailey, MS), from Missoula (Kittredge. MS) and from Flathead Lake 

 (Saunders, 1916c, p. 86). 



-Migration dates ai'c: Colnnibia Falls, average of two years, .May 2. earliest 



