392 Cameron, Birds of Custer & Dawson Counties, Mont. [oct* 



Swallow's nest in the stable and forced the rightful owners, which were 

 renovating it, to build an entirely new one affixed to a beam. In 1904, a 

 pair of Say's Phcebes nested below the eyrie of the Golden Eagles and were 

 unmolested. Another pair which, in 1906, built in a hole near the Prairie 

 Falcon's eyrie (on one of the highest buttes along the Yellowstone) were 

 killed by the latter for their young. In May, 1907, a still more remarkable 

 site chosen by these flycatchers was the old abode of a Cliff Swallow; one 

 of several nests situated above a wolf-den in a huge sand rock. The den 

 was inhabited by a she-wolf with her six pups, and the birds were exposed 

 to constant disturbance, both from these animals and from men who 

 suffocated the young wolves with a pitch pine fire. The she-wolf escaped 

 with one ten weeks-old pup and intermittent efforts were made to trap 

 her at the den. Nevertheless the flycatchers did not desert their nest. 



100. Contopus richardsonii. Western Wood Pewee. — Rare. My 

 wife has twice seen a single bird which came to our water-troughs in 

 Dawson County, on March 21 and April 6, respectively, 1904. A pair 

 was seen by me near Knowlton, Custer Co., on May 10, 1907. Captain 

 Thorne gives this species as "Common. Breeds." 



101. Empidonax trailli. Traill's Flycatcher. — Rare. I observed 

 a specimen in the shrubbery at my north window (Custer County), on May 

 18, 1894, and another remained there from May 11 to May 19, in 1896. 

 Captain Thorne took one specimen on June 8. 



102. Empidonax minimus. Least Flycatcher. — Rare. I saw an 

 example of this flycatcher in the brush at my north window (Custer County) 

 on May 25, 1893, and another on May 18, 1894. Captain Thorne gives it 

 as "Not common." 



103. Empidonax hammondi. Hammond's Flycatcher. — Rare. I 

 have not observed this bird. Captain Thorne obtained "two specimens — 

 an adult July 17, and a young bird June 8." 



104. Otocoris alpestris arenicola. Desert Horned Lark. — An abun- 

 dant resident; ubiquitous in both counties. Immense flocks, which may 

 number five hundred birds, reinforce the residents at the end of February. 

 Of all prairie birds Horned Larks are the first to breed. I have seen their 

 grass nests in depressions of the plain as early as the latter part of April; 

 also at the end of June, showing that two broods are reared. Later nests 

 are often lined with down from the pollen of a small daisy common on the 

 prairie. Four eggs are laid and as was pointed out by Coues in ' Birds of 

 the Northwest' (1874), both sexes share the duties of incubation. Newly 

 fledged young run in the road ruts like their parents, and are sometimes 

 trodden on by horses before they can fly. At this age they are sprinkled 

 all over with white dots above and may be easily recognized. When her 

 fledglings seem in danger the mother flies to, and runs from them, alter- 

 nately, to induce them to follow her away. In winter Horned Larks 

 frequent ranch buildings in search of food which they find in the hay 

 stacks or in the droppings of cattle and horses. At this time cold and 

 starvation render them so tame that they can be easily caught. (See 

 Chipping Sparrow, No. 143.) 



