RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 



WILDLIFE SPECIES PARAMETERS 



Tabular Summary 



Data obtained for the 17C species of vertebrates observed during this study 

 (4 species of amphibians, 7 of reptiles, 139 of birds, and 26 of mammals) are 

 summarized in tables 7, 8 and 9. The types of data included and the abbreviations 

 used in these tables are as follows: 



Habitat in which Observed . Abbreviations correspond to habitat categories 

 defined in table 1. The major habitats which animals were seen to use during this 

 study are listed in approximate order of decreasing intensity of use or indica- 

 ted preference. Habitats merely crossed by flying birds or transient mammals 

 are not listed. "Various" indicates use of many different habitats without 

 clear preference. An asterisk in this column indicated that quantitative 

 habitat information is presented in the section entitled Species Narratives. 



Distribution . Numbers correspond to the three study areas described in 

 the text (1 indicates the proposed mining area; 2, mine study area; 3, recon- 

 naissance level study area). Presence of numbers in this column indicates occur- 

 rence in the corresponding study area. 



Classification . The U.S. D.I. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, in 

 its 1973 "Red Book," has identified certain species of animals as endangered 

 (E), threatened (T), or status-undetermined (U). Although the classifications 

 reported in the Red Book have been supplanted by the Endangered Species Act of 

 1973, they still provide a good relative index of vulnerability to extinction 

 and are listed here. In addition, the Montana Department of Fish and Game (1977) 

 has classified wildlife species as game species (G), nongame species (N), fur- 

 bearers (F), and migratory game birds (M), and the National Audobon Society has 

 listed in its "Blue List" (Arbib 1977) certain species of birds which are giving 

 evidence of region-wide or continent-wide non-cyclic population declines (B). 

 Classifications under each system are indicated by the appropriate letter 

 abbreviations. 



Evidence . Acceptable evidence for inclusion of a species in this table, 

 in order of decreasing reliability, is as follows: S indicates specimen(s) 

 taken (number of specimens or "P" if partial specimen given in parentheses); 

 P, photograph taken; V, visual (sight) record; A, auditory (sound) record; 

 B, reported by biologist(s) other than those directly involved in this study; 

 R, reported by local residents. Only the most reliable evidence is listed in 

 the table. 



Guild (Birds Only) . Breeding-season guilds (or non-breeding season guilds 

 for winter residents and migrants) are indicated by a four-digit code. The 



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