1^21 BIRDS OF MONTANA 169 



rimes. Fledglings were found there June 25, l!llt4, and July 5, li»ll4. A nest 

 and three half-ineubated eggs were found July 12, liiO-t (Silloway, l'.)l)r)a, p. 19). 

 At Swan Lake the species is said to winter and to nest very early (Silloway, 

 IlKiUli, |). 803). Other records are: Lake Conio, Ravalli County, one seen Augnst 

 1, lim, at 6,000 feet (Bailey, MS). Seen several times at Belton in summer of 

 liil.") ( DuBois, MS). One seen at Coalbank, South Fork of Flathead River, in 

 ihe summer of IfH.") ( Betts, 1916, p. 163). I saw this species, an<l heard oi'c 

 hird in song, at Belton and at Lake MacDonald, Glacier National Park, Augvisl 

 12. 1914. Occurs on the Lolo. Kootenai and Blaekfeet National Forests i Kit'- 

 redge, MS). 



328. Sialia sialis sialis (Linnaeus) 



Eastern Blpebikd 

 Occurs rarely in eastern ^lontana in summer or migrations. .May hrced. 

 There are but four reeords at present : Mouth of Powder River, August 1. 18.5*) 

 (Baird, 1858, p. 222) ; mouth of ^lilk River (Cooper. 1869a. p. 32) ; Cinnabar 

 Basin, Park County, October 24. 1908, one seen (Saunders, 191()a, p. 80) : Cor- 

 vallis, Bitterroot Valley, March 10. 1913, one seen (Bailey, 1913h, p. 1S4). [ 

 susi)ect that the Eastern Bluebird is a regidar, though rare, suunner resident in 

 extreme eastern Montana; the writings of Cameron on I'asscriiKi ininii im (1908a, 

 I). 43) suggest that this ma.v liave been the bii'd observed. 



329. Sialia mexicana occidentalis J. K. Townsi'ud 



Western Bli'ebird 

 A rare summer resident of westei-n .Montana, west of the continental di\i(li\ 

 occurring still more rarel.v in migrations, east of it. There ap|>e;ir to be no pre- 

 viously published records of this species in Montana, other than the reference, 

 "Breeds . . . east to . . . western Montana" (American Ornithologists' Union, 

 1910, p. 367). The late Prof. Cooke sent me the following data from the records 

 in the Biological Survey: Hell Gate, spring of 1860, specimen in United States 

 National Jluseuni : Columbia Falls, June 28, 1895 ; Thompson Falls, July 29, 

 1895; Big Sandy, Septemlter 13. 1905; Corvallis, iMarch 19, 1911. This species 

 has been seen at ilissoula in April, 1917 (Kittredge, MS). 



330. Sialia currucoides (Beelistein) 



.Mdu.n't.vin Bluebird 

 A eonnnon summer resident throughout the state. Breeds in the Transition 

 zone and less conunonly in the Canadian. In the eastern part of the state breeds 

 in the pine hills, farther west, in cottonwood groves, about ranch buildings, and 

 in the more open tyjies of coniferous forests in the foothills of the mountains. 

 In the Canadian zone, it is sometimes found about the edges of mountain parks, 

 hut it is nevei' as common at such elevations in Montana as it is in the Transition. 

 \bout i-anch Imildings in the mountain valle.vs it is apparently increasing in 

 iinmliei-s It is rare al)out I'anches in the pi-airie regions, liecause most of the 



