1^21 BIRDS OF MONTANA 137 



most cHstern iiioiintaiii ranjifs. Occurs rarely in migration in thr praii-ic rciiioii. 

 Hi'ieils in the Transition and Canadian /ones, sliowing a marked ])referenee for 

 forests of Douglas fii' on tlie east si<le of the divide, and foi- mixed forests of 

 Douglas fir, yellow pine and larch on the west side. (^)eeii)-s in niigr;'t;ou in 

 Cottonwood groves in the valleys. 



^ligrations take |)lace in lati' May or early dune, and in August. The aver- 

 age of five years at Columhia Falls is ?^lay IS, and the earliest .May IM, ls!)7 

 ^Oberholser, 19LS, p. IS). Other dates are; Bo/,eman, .huie 1(1, liXlll; Pipestone 

 Basin, June 5, 1!)10; iiozeman, May 29, IIHI, and Teton County, June 4, 11)12; 

 Dutton, ilay 27, li)14 (DuBois. MS), and Kalisiicll, -luue .1, 1!)16 (Sloauaker, 

 MS). Fall dates are: Columbia Falls, September in. ls:i4, and .Ali.s.soula, Sc])- 

 tember 11, 1915 (Oberholser, 191S, p. 19) ; Gold Creek, August 27, 1910; Ilannau 

 Gulch, Teton County, August 2S, 1911, and Flathead Lake, August 20, 19U. 

 One from Fort Keogh. June 1, 1902 (Hedges, coll. Fniv. Montana) is the only 

 record from the praii'ie region. 



This species begins nesting in the latter part of June. It was noted building 

 its nest in the Belt Mountains June 2(), tlie nest being complete l)ut empty, Jul.v 

 :3 (Williams, lSS2a, p. 62). At Flathead Lake a nest containing three young 

 was found June 21, 1900 (Silloway, 1901a, p. 2o ) , and another with four I'ggs, 

 July -4, 1903 (Silloway, 190:iii, p. 299). Another nest was being built at Yellow 

 Bay, Flathead Lake, June 24, 1910, ami the bii'ds were seen feeding young Jul\- 

 22 (Sloanaker, MS). Young out of the nest were observed at Belton, July 1"). 

 1916 (DuBois, MS). 



259. Progne subis subis (Linnaeus) 



PrRIM.E M.MiTIN 



A sunuuer resident, perhaps throughout the state, but most of the records 

 are in the eastern part in the prairie region. Records are as follows; Seen fre- 

 '|uentl,v on the Yello^vstone ln'tween Tongue River and Pompey's Pillar (Allen. 

 18741). ]). .')4). A jiair seen on the Yellowstone (]\IcChesney, 1879, p. 2386). 

 Abundant in mountains, breeds (Grinnell, 1876, p. 644). Numerous in timbered 

 river bottom at Fort Custer (IMearns, 1904, p. 21). Several seen at Lewistown, 

 May 10, 1902 (Silloway, 1903a, p. 59). Not comuum in Custer and Dawson 

 counties. Ai'rives about May 15 (Cameron, 1908a, p. 44). Rare at Bill- 

 ings (Thomas, MS). Bozeman, June and July, 1909 (Saunders, 1911a, p. 45). 

 \'ery plentiful at Bowen, Big Hole Basin, breeding in bird boxes (Forrest. 1914, 

 p. 195). The last two i-ecords are the only ones that are not from the i)rairie 

 region of the state. Thi'ce years give an average of May 14 for s|n'ing ai'rival at 

 Great Falls, with th<' cailiest May 10. 190(; (Oberholser. 1918, p. 148). 



260. Petrochelidon lunifrons lunifrons (Say) 



( 'r.iFi'" Sw.\i>i.(i\v 

 An abundant summer resident throughout the state, reported by all oliserv- 

 ers. On the whole the umst abundant and widely distributetl swallow in the 

 state, l^rceds in the Ciiper Sonoran and Transition zones, on cliffs in batllands 



