1921 BIRDS OF MONTANA 149 



Mr. VisliiT has written luc that it pertains to a hjrality across tlie horder in 

 ilontana. 



290. Seiurus noveboracensis notabilis Ridgway 



GrINNELL W.VTER-TIIRt'SIl 



A summer I'esident in the western half of the state, chiefly along mountain 

 streams in the upper Transition zone, pjvidentl.v hr.'cds in dense willow and 

 alder thickets, bordering streams that are swampy in ehai-acter. Rare in mosi 

 jilaees. Occurs as a migrant, very rarely in eastern Montana. 



Records in migration: Columbia Falls, average of five years. May 20. earli- 

 est i\Iay 18. 1895 (Cooke, 19()-4a. p. 1(»6) ; one juvenile taken at Fort Keogli. Sep- 

 tember 12, 1889 (Thorne, 1895, p. 218) ; Custer County, .May 24, 1905 (Came- 

 ron, 190Sa. p. 50) : Bozeman. .May :'.(», 1909; (Jerinan (4ulch, .May 1(1. 1910: Gold 

 Creek, August 20, 1910; Chief ^Mountain Laki\ and west of Sweet Grass Hills, 

 obtained August 12, 1874 (Cones, 1874ii, ]>. 5(i7 ) ; Hillings, .\ugusf 12. 1900 

 (Jones and Dawson, 1900. p. 30). 



Records in breeding season: Rare snnnuer resident. (Jalhitin County (Saun- 

 ders, 1911a, p. 46) ; one taken at Swan Lake, July 10, 1903 (Silloway. 19(i:il), p. 

 303) ; seen on the Boulder River near Bernice. Jefferson County, in June. 1911 ; 

 rare but regular breeder in the Bitterroot Valle.v. feeding young Jul.v 12. 1910 

 V Bailey, MS). 



291. Oporornis tolmiei (J. K. Townsend ) 



MacGu.livrav W.vrbIjKR 



A common summer resident of the western half of the state, ranging east t.i 

 tiie easternmost mountains, and occurring occasionall.v in migrations to the more 

 :'.astern parts of the state. Breeds in the Transition zone in clumps of willov; 

 and alder, wild rose or other shrubs, niiiinly in moist situations along the fool- 

 liills or lower mountain canyons. The easternmost points where it is known to 

 bri'ed are Fergus County (Sillowa.v. 1903a, |i. (14) and the Musselshell River 

 (Allen, 1874, p. 52). The eastei'nmost records in nngi-ations are from Fort 

 Keogh, May 25, 1902 (Hedges, coll. Univ. Montana) and Miles City, August 17 

 and 22. 1919 (Hedges, MS). 



The migrations take place during the latter half of ^lay ami in August. The 

 average date of arrival at Great Falls is ^la.v 28. and an early arrival at Colum- 

 bia Falls is May 19, 1885 (Cooke, 1904a. p. 1151. Other dates are as follows: 

 Bozeman, May 27, 1909, and May 29, 1911: Choteau. ]\Iay 23, 1912: Corvallis. 

 May 19, 1913 (Bailey, MS). Fall dates are: Rocky Mountains, August 2:',, 1871 

 (Coues, 1874b. p. 569) : Belton, August 30, 1915 (DuBois, MS\ 



This species nests in June and Jul.v, evidently sometimes raising two hi-oods. 

 A nest and five eggs, advanced in incubation, were found at Flathead Lal^e, June 

 14, 1900 (Silloway, 1901a, p. 14), and young were seen flying June 30. 1901 

 iibi(L. p. 34). A nest and four eggs were found at Belton. June 30. 1914. and 

 another with fresh eggs July 6, 1915; .voung were noted on thi' wing July S. I'Jiu 

 ( DuBois. .AIS). 



