iS 1 Richmond and Knovvlton on Montana Birds. 3^S 



54. Corvus americanus. American Crow. — Abundant and very tame. 

 There was a Crow roost in the mountains, about five miles south of Fort 

 Ellis, and fully five hundred Crows passed over our camp morning and 

 evening to and from this roost. During the day they were scattered over 

 the Gallatin Valley. They appeared to be rather less noisy than eastern 

 Crows and so unusually tame that one could approach them at any time 

 within easy gun range, without resort to strategy. 



55. Nucifraga columbiana. Clarke's Nutcracker. — Common in 

 the mountains, and occasionally found on some of the higher foothills, 

 where we saw them at an elevation of about 6000 feet. At Mystic Lake 

 we saw one of these birds soaring in circles, like a hawk, with its white 

 tail fully spread. One shot on Traill Creek was found to have eighty-two 

 pinon seeds in its gullet. 



^6. Dolichonyx oryzivorus. Bobolink. — Very common at one place 

 in the northern part of Gallatin Valley, where, about the middle of 

 August, we found a large number in a rank growth of wild sunflowers 

 (Helianthus). This was in close proximity to, and in fact to some extent 

 adjoining, a considerable tract of nearly ripe oats. Although the birds 

 were swarming in the former, we found only a few stray birds in the 

 latter field. 



57. Molothrus ater. Cowbird. — An immature individual shot about 

 the middle of August was the only one observed. 



58. Sturnella magna neglecta. Western Meadowlark. — Abundant. 



59. Icterus bullocki. Bullock's Oriole. — No birds of this species 

 were seen, but a nest no doubt belonging to this Oriole was found in 

 some willows on the East Gallatin. 



60. Scolecophagus cyanocephalus. Brewer's Blackbird. — Very 

 abundant, especially in the fall, when these birds were seen in flocks of 

 thousands. During August we met with them usually in small numbers 

 about the ranches and cowpens, and occasionally scattered along the 

 roadside, resting in the shadows of the fenceposts from the heat of 

 midday. 



61. Pinicola enucleator. Pine Grosbeak. — Occasionally observed. 

 One was shot at Mystic Lake in the latter part of September, and another 

 in July on Traill Creek, where it breeds. 



62. Loxia curvirostra minor. American Red Crossbill. — About a 

 dozen seen in Gallatin Basin in September. 



63. Spinus tristis. American Goldfinch. — Common. 



64. Spinus pinus. Pine Siskin. — Rather common on the foothills, 

 where it breeds. A fully fledged young bird was shot late in August. 



65. Poocaetes gramineus confinis. Western Vesper Sparrow. — 

 Very common, especially in the fall. 



66. Ammodramus sandwichensis alaudinus. Western Savanna 

 Sparrow. — Abundant. First noted about the last of August. 



67. Ammodramus savannarum perpallidus. Western Grasshopper 

 Sparrow. — One bird, presumably this form, was seen in the Gallatin 

 Valley. 



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