Vol- XXVJ Cameron, Birds of Custer & Dawson Counties, Mont. 41 



buildings, and perched on the withered horse-weed stalks. Afterwards, 

 they mixed with an army of Horned Larks, when this host of birds, num- 

 bering many hundreds, spread over some three acres of ploughed land 

 which was entirely overgrown with Russian thistle — a most noxious 

 weed. At the same date, a flock of about fifty birds frequented the 

 adjoining ranch of Mr. J. H. Price. These sparrows remained during the 

 entire month of April. Tree Sparrows are again seen about the middle 

 of October, and immense flights, mixed with a few Juncos, then pass 

 through the scattered pines. Their progress is slow, as the flocks constantly 

 alight to feed on a plant wliich covers the hill sides; doubtless the same 

 weed alluded to by Dr. Coues in his graphic account of Tree Sparrows 

 feeding. (Birds of the Northwest, p. 147, 1874.) 



144. Spizella socialis. Chipping Sparrow. — Very abundant summer 

 resident. It may be seen in countless flocks on spring migration. One 

 of the largest invasions of Chipping Sparrows was in 1893, when they 

 arrived at my ranch in Custer County, on March 11, and continued to 

 come in ever increasing numbers until the climax was reached on April 7, 

 the occasion of a howling blizzard. Then an army of Chipping Sparrows 

 and Desert Horned Larks, over a thousand strong, took possession of a 

 disused garden to feed upon a wild plant with a seed like millet locally 

 called "horseweed." All that morning a seemingly continuous stream 

 of these small birds poured in, and, as I had never before seen so many 

 together, I saUied out to watch them although scarcely able to face the 

 storm. They were remarkably tame and Mr. H. Tusler, of the ranch 

 above, twice caught three Horned Larks with a five-pronged stable fork, 

 by laying it on another similar flock wliich visited him. The scene at my 

 ranch was rendered still more interesting by the manoeuvres of three 

 Marsh Hawks, a Sparrow Hawk and a Northern Shrike, which continually 

 harassed this immense company of birds, but though they killed a good 

 many Horned Larks I could not discover that any Chipping Sparrows were 

 taken. Our cat, however, captured many specimens of the latter, which 

 she brought to me. 



Exceptionally large flights of Chipping Sparrows were noticed at my 

 ranch in Dawson County in 1905 and 1906. In 1905, flocks of unusual 

 size began to arrive on May 10, and on May 16 the birds, mixed with 

 Clay-colored Sparrows, swarmed over the neighboring country. When 

 we were riding through the hills at tliis date, the horses constantly flushed 

 hundreds of both species from the sage brush at their feet. On May 17, 

 1906, Chipping Sparrows passed throughout the day, flying low to the 

 northwest across a strong north wind. These late migratory movements 

 have no connection with the resident birds, which arrive in March. Chip- 

 ping Sparrows nest here in low cedars, but occasionally in sage brush, 

 and rear two broods in the year. In July numbers may be seen feeding 

 the full-fledged young upon grasshoppers, while others are sitting upon 

 three or four eggs. I have never seen more than the latter number, and 

 three is usual. The earliest date at which I have found eggs is May 28, 



