158 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 14 



308. Certhia familiaris montana Ridgway 



Rocky AIountain Creeper 

 A summer resident of the mountains in the western half of the state. 

 Rather rare in summer, usually conunon in migrations, and oeeasionall.y win- 

 tering. Probably breeds in spruce forests in the Canadian zone, as it is usually 

 seen in such localities, but there are no definite records of bi-eeding in the state. 

 The easternmost records of occurrence are from Fergus County (Silloway, 19()3a. 

 p. 67), Teton County (Saunders, 1914a, p. 142), and Park County, where I have 

 observed it on Traill Creek in summer and in Tom Jlinor Basin in fall. It 

 probably occurs farther east in the more eastern mountain ranges, particularly 

 in the southern part of the state. An unusual record, the only one east of the 

 mountains, in the prairie region, is from between Forts Union and Benton in 

 June, 1860 (Cooper, 1869, p. 296). Migrations take place in April or late 

 March, and in October or November. Dates of last ones seen in fall are as fol 

 lows: Sour Dough Canyon, Gallatin County, November 10, 1908; Pipestone 

 Creek, Jefferson County, October 14, 1909 ; Clear Creek, Deer Lodge County, 

 October 9, 1910. Dates of spring arrival are: Middle Creek, Gallatin County, 

 iMarch 25, 1909; Divide Creek, Silver Bow County, April 26, 1910. Winter 

 records of this species are : Gallatin County, February 17, 1909 (Saunders, 1911a, 

 p. 48) ; Bitterroot Valley, two seen December 14, and two December 2(1. 1911 

 (Bailey, MS). 



;}09. Sitta carolinensis carolinensis Latham 



White-breasted Nuthatch 

 A rather rare permanent resident of eastern Montana. Breeds in the pine 

 hills. Recorded by most observers, but by none considered common. This sub- 

 species evidently occupies all the eastern pine hills, west as far as the Little Horn 

 River (McChesney, 1879, p. 2385). Most of the records given are for the sum- 

 mer months, others do not state whether this species is resident or not. I huvv 

 lound the bird in the Long Pine Hills of Carter County, however, in Decembei , 

 1909. A series of six skins from the vicinity of Miles City, dated April 22 to 

 27, 1900 (Hedges, coll. Univ. Montana), have been recentl.y examined by Dr. 

 Bishop and myself. They belong undoubtedly to the eastern race. AcideaU; 

 was the race previousl.y reported from this region (Thome, 1895. p. 218). This 

 was before nelsoni had been described. There are no records of the finding of 

 the nest of the White-breasted Nuthatch in the state. 



310. Sitta carolinensis nelsoni Mearns 



Rocky jMountain Nuthatch 

 A common permanent resident of the western half of the state. Breeds in 

 coniferous forests in the Transition, Canadian and Hudsonian zones, showing 

 preference for yellow pine forests in the Transition, about the foothills of the 

 mountains, or for white-bark pine in the Hudsonian. Commoner in either of 

 these places than in the Canadian zone forests. Nearly all observers mention 



