11,S PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 14 



Ai)ril 30, 1894 (Cooke, 1911, p. 145), and .Missoula, arrival April 30, departure 

 Sei)tember 24 (Kittredge). There is no doubt that this form breeds in Mon- 

 tana, young of the year having been taken at Flathead Lake, but there is no 

 record of the finding of the nest. 



•J25. Passerculus sandwichensis nevadensis Grinnell 



Nevada Savannah Sparrow 



A eonnuon summer resident of wet meadows east of the continental divide. 

 Breeds throughout the Transition zone and probably also in the Upper Sonoran. 

 .Most observers mention this species, but some have evidently overlooked it. It 

 is found both on the prairies and in mountain valleys, and is particularly abund- 

 ant in valleys where irrigation has gone on for some time and where areas of 

 wet grasslands are common. The identification of races is not well worked out 

 at present. I am assuming that all birds east of the continental divide are 

 nevadensis, and all birds west of it alandinus. A breeding bird from the Galla- 

 tin Valley has proven to be nevadensis, biit birds from Teton County are doubt- 

 ful, one being thought to be savanna. There is a considerable series of specimens 

 from Miles City, taken by C. F. Hedges, in the Tniversity of ^Montana collection, 

 which have recently been identified as ncvadaisis by Dr. Bishop. Two of these 

 birds, however, are nearer alaudinus. 



Migrations take place in April or I\Iay. and probably in September. Dates 

 are as follows: Traill Creek, Park County, ^May 14, 1909; Big Hole River, May 

 6, 1910; Anaconda, May 12, 1911 ; Choteau, April 30, 1912; Dutton, May 3, 1915, 

 :\ray 1, 1916, and May 9, 1917 (DuBois, MS). The only fall date is from Miles 

 City, September 24, 1900 (Hedges, coll. Univ. IMontana). 



Wliile this bird is undoubtedly a common breeder, the finding of the nest 

 has been recorded only a few times. I found two at Warm Springs, Deer Lodge 

 Count.y, June 16. 1911, both containing eggs, and another at Priest Butte Lakes, 

 Teton County. June 9, 1912, containing three newly hatched young and an egg. 

 Young are common on the wing hy June 30. 



226. Ammodramus bairdi (Audubon) 



Baird Sparrow 



A rai'e and little known summer resident or migrant on the prairies of the 

 eastern half of the state. Recoi'ded from but two localities : In Custer and Daw- 

 son counties it is an irregular migrant in September, where the birds were com- 

 mon September 6 to 10, 1902 (Cameron. 1908a. p. 39). In Teton County birds 

 were noted September 4, 1911, and May 23, 1912 (Saunders, 1914a, p. 138), 

 where they were suspected to be breeding, and where the species has since been 

 found breeding, near Dutton. Two nests have been found there, one with six 

 eggs, advanced in incubation, July 18, 1916, and the other with four eggs, th(> 

 last one laid July 20, 1916 (DuBois, IMS). Mr. DuBois also gives May 24, 1917. 

 as the date of its arrival in spring migration at Dutton. 



It is possible that this bird also breeds in more eastern parts of Montana, for 

 it has been found breeding in Dakota, at one point, Harding County (Visher, 

 1911, II. 14). within a few miles of the ^Montana border. 



