400 Cameron, Birds of Custer & Dawson Counties, Mont. [A^ 



tremely tame, would fly after him wherever lie went nut of doors. It 

 seemed likely to remain during the winter, bul the migratory impulse was 

 too strong and the Meadowlarls left ;ii the end of October. Nevertheless, 

 like Brewer's Blackbird, the Meadowlark does sometimes stay lor the 

 whole winter. During the lust winter, 1906-1907, no less than seven 

 Meadowlarks remained on Mr. Al. .Ionian's property situated on the out- 

 skirts of Miles City. 



ill. Icterus bullocki. Bru c's Oriole. — Common summer resi- 

 lient of both counties on all tin- w led rivers and creeks flowing through 



prairie count ry. Migrant st ragglers occur in t he pine hills, but I have not 

 found Orioles nesting within this area. According to my notes, Orioles 

 arrive about May 20, and have eggs by the middle of June. Females 

 appear to arrive first. At my ranch in Custer County, where they nested, 

 the Orioles used to make a I I chattering at I \. m., which mighl be con- 

 tinued until 6, during the end of May. On the Yellowstone their nests are 

 suspended at a great height, often from upright branches, at the top o:' 



immense COttonWOOds. They are usually made of horse hair, copiously 

 lined with cotton down From the trees, and four or five eggS are laid. In 



marked contrasl to the above, the nests on small, tributary creeks are only 



a few feet fnini the ground. Two nests may he found in one small cotton- 

 wood here, but Dr. < '. Hart Merriam ' quotes Captain Bendire who saw 



''as many as live occupied nests on a single small liirch tree." at foil 

 Lapwai in Idaho. 



I l. r >. Scolecophagus carolinus. Rusty Blackbird. -Rare. On April 



'J<>, 1903, I surprised a Sharp shinned Hawk, which had just killed, and 

 had Commenced to eat , a Rusty Blackbird on my ranch in 1 >aWS0D County. 

 I took this specimen home, which was the only one 1 hail seen hitherto. 

 Later in the day my wife saw a small Mock of seven or eight Rusty I'.lack 

 birds in I he same locality. 



116. Scolecophagus cyanocephalus. Brewer's Blackbird. Alum 



d.nit summer resident in both counties, arriving in April. In Ihefall 

 immense Hocks, which are largely composed of females and young, occur in 

 prairie country, river valleys, and in the open parks amidst the pine hills. 



This is one of the tamest birds on ranches, even alighting on the veranda. 

 Occasionally single individuals remain for the whole winter about the 



buildings. Brewer's Blackbird usually nests iii small colonies, either in 

 Cottonwood trees or bullherry Rushes fringing the creek hanks, but also in 

 single pairs upon the ground. In the latter situation the nest, is placed 

 Under the sage brush, or any small Rush. A colony in bullberry Rushes, 

 growing by water, al a fork of Coal Creek (Custer Co. ), had nests in t'\cry 

 stage of progress, on June 28, 1906. Some were only just finished, while 

 others contained nestlings; a few again held both eggs and young. further 

 on, newly Hedged blackbirds were seen which presumably belonged to a 

 first brood. These are of a uniform umber brown with bill, legs, and 



1 Results of a Biological Eteconnoissance of south-cent ml Maim, p. 101, is«ti. 



