160 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNyV No. 14 



The nest of the Red-bi-easted Nuthatch lias been found near Helena 

 (Crooker, 1893, p. 83), and at Flathead Lake, where I found two nests where 

 birds were feeding young late in July, 1915. Young out of the nest were noted 

 at Belton, July 15, 1914 (DuBoi.s, MSV 



312. Sitta pygmaea pygmaea Vigors 



Pygmy Nuthatch 



A permanent resident of western Montana, evidently in the Transition 

 ione, in the yellow pine forests of the foothills. Reported as common only from 

 itavalli County. Apparently more numerous years ago than now. In 18G0 this 

 species w'as reported as common to the eastern base of the Rocky ilountains 

 (.Cooper, 1869a, p. 74), and later it was reported from Prickly Pear Canyon, 

 now in Lewis and Clark County (Cooper, 1869b, p. 298). Since then it has been 

 I'eported as a common resident in the foothills of Ravalli County (Bailey, MS) ; 

 it was included in the Fergus County list by Silloway (1903a, p. 68), who, how- 

 ever, merely quotes Cooper, adding no observations of his own. A single speci- 

 men has been taken on Wild Horse Island, Flathead Lake, July 2, 1914 (Saun- 

 ders, 1915b, p. 112). Mr. Kittredge informed me by letter that he has met this 

 species but once in western ^Montana, at Thompson Falls, but I was unable to 

 obtain the date of this record. 



In 1919 this species occurred at .Miles City with the great fliglit of Red- 

 breasted Nuthatches. Of this species Mr. Hedges reports six seen August 24 and 

 three taken; one seen August 26; and two, August 31. The birds were in Cot- 

 tonwood groves along the river. This same summer a single bird was reported 

 as seen by Thomas in the Beartooth Mountains at 10,000 feet, between July 

 14 and 17. 



313. Penthestes atricapillus atricapillus (Linnaeus) 



Eastern Chickadee 



A common permanent resident of northwestern ilontana, west of the con- 

 tinental divide. Occasionally found in southwestern ilontana ui winter. Tliis 

 is the form of Chickadee which breeds at Flathead Lake, and probably through- 

 out northwestern ilontana, south to about the vicinity of Missoula, and possibly 

 also in the Bitterroot Valley. The birds are indistinguishable in appearance 

 from those of the eastern LTnited States, though geographically they are a sep- 

 arate race, occupying an intermediate region between the large, light colored 

 septentrionalis to the eastward, and the smaller, dark colored occidenialis to the 

 westward. This subspecies breeds in the Transition zone, in cottonwood groves 

 idong streams and in mixed broad-leaf and coniferous forest. 



The nest has been found at Swan Lake. June 6, 1902, containing seven eggs 

 advanced in incubation (Silloway, 1903b, p. 296). A chickadee belonging to 

 tuis form was taken at Bozeman, November 26, 1908 (Saunders, 1911a, p. 48), 

 indicating that it migrates southward to some extent in winter. While this indi- 

 vidual might be considered an individual variant of septenirionalis, the resident 

 form at Bozeman, that this is jirobably not the case is indicated by the fact that 



