Vol. XXVI Cameron, Birds of Custer & Dmvson Counties, Mont. 43 



the end of September. On June 20, 1898, I found a nest in a rose bush 

 which contained five eggs of the Towhee and two of a C'owbird. 



Towhees are very common in the woods along the Yellowstone bottom, 

 ■ but are shy birds, flitting about in dense cover, although their harsh croak 

 resounds on all sides. 



151. Zamelodia melanocephala. Black-headed Grosbeak.— Cap- 

 tain Thorne records this species as "Tolerably common. Breeds." I have 



never seen it. 



152. Cyanospiza amoena. Lazuli Bunting.— Tolerably common sum- 

 mer resident in both counties. Appears to be a very irregular migrant, 

 as I have recorded its appearance at varying dates from April 19 until the 

 middle of June. I never saw it in Montana until 1896. Lazuli Buntings 

 nest in the hollows of dead pines in places similar to those chosen by 

 Flickers, and also use the deserted nesting holes of other species. On 

 June 12, 1904, six young flickers fell victims to some predatory animal 

 (it was supposed to be our cat), in their hole in a burnt pine near my house 

 in Dawson County. Thereupon a pair of Lazuh Buntings made their 

 nest of dried grass, lined with feathers, in the same situation on July 2, 

 and four eggs were laid. Another pair took possession of a hole in a dead 

 pine which^'in the previous year (1903) had been occupied by a pair of 

 Chickadees. I once found the nest of Lazuli Buntings in a hole in a sand 

 rock chff, but this struck me as a rare occurrence. The full complement 

 of eggs is five. LazuU Buntings hover like Kestrels on the open prairie 

 whersearching for grasshoppers or grubs on which to feed their young. 

 They leave about the first of October. 



153. Calamospiza melanocorys. Lark Bunting.— Commonest of the 

 summer residents in Custer County, arriving about the second week 

 in May. It is invariably called Bobolink, and is confused with that bird. 

 The males precede the females by about five days and, when all have 

 arrived, flying hosts are seen strung out for about a quarter of a mile. 

 Lark Buntings are common in Dawson County, but I have not noticed 

 them in such immense numbers as in Custer. Although essentially prairie 

 birds, the flocks rest in the trees when migrating through pine hiUs. Their 

 nests are more plentiful in fenced pastures than elsewhere, a fact explained 

 by the bird's fondness for perching on the wires. I have observed five 

 nests in one small pasture when riding through it, and, had search been 

 made, doubtless many more might have been discovered. The usual 

 number of five eggs is laid by June 1 and the male shares the duties of 

 incubation with his mate. The young are fledged by July 1, and, as soon 

 as they can fly weakly (about the middle of the month), sit on the wires 

 with their parents which feed them on grasshoppers. A nest on my 

 ranch in Custer County, contained three eggs on May 25, seven eggs on 

 May 29, and six newly hatched young on June 10, wliich makes the time 

 of incubation about twelve days. Before the flocks leave in the fall the 

 males have assumed the plumage of the females. 



The Lark Bunting sings loudly on the wing and, as Dr. J. A. Allen has 



