THE AUK: 



A QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF 

 ORNITHOLOGY. 



Vol. xxiv. July, 1907. No. 3. 



THE BIRDS OF CUSTER AND DAWSON COUNTIES, 



MONTANA. 



BY E. S. CAMERON, F. Z. S. L., M.B.O. U. 



Plates V-XII. 

 Introduction. 



The present list of birds known to occur in Custer and Dawson 

 Counties, Montana, is the result of observation extending over a 

 period of eighteen years and including almost every part of the 

 area named. A few localities which I was personally unable to 

 visit have been explored by my wife who is a keen observer of 

 birds. I wish to take this opportunity of expressing my indebted- 

 ness to Mr. J. H. Price of Knowlton who has been familiar with 

 eastern Montana since the eighties, and was at much trouble to 

 send me information, skins, and notes, besides assisting my in- 

 vestigation in every possible way. Also to Mr. Dan Bowman for 

 many interesting notes of especial value, as he was one of the 

 pioneer settlers of Custer County. As far as I am aware, no list 

 of birds of Dawson County, or any part of it, has hitherto appeared, 

 but the late Captain Platte M. Thorne, U. S. A., published an 

 excellent list, numbering 137 species, of the Birds of Fort Keogh, 

 near Miles City (Custer County), in 'The Auk' for July, 1895, 

 and upon this any subsequent list must necessarily be based. 



Regarded geographically the area embraced by the two coun- 

 ties may be divided into river valleys, pine hills, rolling prairie 

 and badlands, but from an ornithological standpoint, as will 



