134 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 14 



Nesting takes place in June. A nest in Custer County contained five egji's 

 June 20, 1898 (Cameron, 1908a, p. 4:i). In the I^ig Horn Mountains nests were 

 found from the middle of May to late July (Merrill, 1881. p. 206). 



253. Oreospiza chlorura (Audiilion) 



Green-taii,ed Towhee 



A rather rare snmniei' resident of southwestern ^lontana. Ik'ceds in tlir 

 Transition zone, in thickets of wild rose and similar small shrubs that grow- 

 along the foothills of the mountains. Recorded from only a few localities, as 

 follows: Gallatin County (Richmond and Knowlton, 1894, p. 306; Saunders. 

 lOlla. ]i. 44) ; noted in this same locality August 11, 1900 (Jones and Dawson, 

 1;hi(). |). 29); FisJi Creek, Silver Bow County, Jnly 21, 1910, one seen (Saun- 

 ders. 1912a, p. 29). I have also seen this species in Park County, on Eight Jlile 

 Ci-eck. August 22, 1908, and believe that it probably occurs also in Madison and 

 l^eaveiliead counties along the southern border of the state. 



The only migration dates are from Bozeman, May 27, 1909, and May 28, 

 1911. There is no record of the nest ha\'ing been found in the state, though the 

 species undoubtedly breeds. 



254. Zamelodia ludoviciana (Linnaeus) 



Rose-breasted Grosbeak 

 Two records only. A male bird was observed twice, in June and July, 19(il), 

 at Bozeman by G. B. Thomas (Saunders, 1911a, p. 44). and another at Billings, 

 June 4, 1918 (Thomas, MS). While these records are based on sight identifica- 

 tion, the appearance of the species is sneh that a male bird could not easily be 

 mistaken for anything else, and loiowing personally that Mr. Thomas is well 

 acquainted with birds, I do not hesitate to include the record, 



255. Zamelodia melanocephala (Swainson) 



Black-iie.\iik[) Grosbeak 



A common suiniiier resident throughout the state. Breeds in the Transition 

 zone, in willow thickets and cottonwood groves I)ordering streams, on the prairies 

 and in the mountain valleys, but not found in the mountains. Recorded by 

 nearly all observers from all parts of the state. 



Migrations take place in late May and August. Dates are as follows : Fort 

 Custer, May 14, 1885 ; Great Falls, average of four years May 23, earliest May 

 20, 1891 ; Columbia Falls, average of two years Slay 26, earliest May 25, 1895 

 (Cooke, 1912, p. 158) ; Bozeman, May 27, 1909; Bitterroot Valley, May 30, 1910, 

 May 21, 1911, and May 22, 1913 (Bailey, MS). Fall dates: Bozeman, Augusi 

 12, 1909 ; Gold Creek, Powell County, August 27, 1910. 



Nesting begins soon after the arrival in early June. Nests containing font 

 eggs advanced in incubation were found at Flathead Lake. June 14 and 19, 1900 

 (Silloway, 1901a, p. 25). A nest with four eggs, one of them a Cowbird"s. was 

 Pound at Choteau, July 7. 1912. 



