SILVER BL TFALOD ERRY--S I LVER SAGEBRrSH COULEE . --Location : Montana; 

 McCono county; overlaps border of Section: 10 and 20, 720", R45E; 

 47°2S' N, lOe'^l' W, AMS, Jordan (IIL 13-1). Continuity: New. 

 Size: 25 ha = 61. S acres ( square , paced) . Description of Plot: 

 Most of the plot (75%) is rolling grassland, E aspect, dominated 

 by Blue Grama and Needle-and-thread , and containing patches of 

 Little Bluestem. A broad, shallow coulee cuts across the NE 

 corner of the plot, and an east-west ridge separates two narrower 

 coulees whose heads lie within the plot. Coulee walls are 

 relatively shallow, and local relief does not exceed 3 m. Bottoms 

 are dominated by Western Wheatgrass , mats of Hori:^.ontal Juniper, 

 and patches of Silver Sagebrush, Skunkbush Sumac, Western Snowberry , 

 and Rose. Clumps of Silver Buffaloberry to 3 m in height are 

 scattered along the coulee walls and bottoms. Other shrubs of 

 the coulees are closely associated with Silver Buffaloberry, and 

 include Common Chokecherry, Serviceberry , and Rocky ^^ountain 

 Juniper. A 0.5-ha portion of an abandoned field now dominated by 

 Cheat Grass (Bromus tec to rum ) and Russian Thistle (Salsola kali ) 

 extends into the NW corner of the plot, and a barbed wire fence 

 and dirt road run parallel to and 100 m east of the western boundary 

 of the plot. Other major shrubs found in the plot are Broom 

 Snakeweed, Fringed Sagewort , and Yucca ( Yucca glanca ) . 

 Edge: Similar grassland surrounds the plot except where the coulees 

 (to the E and NV/jand abandoned cropland continue. Elevation: ;» 

 2550-2G80 ft. Coverage: May 2G , June 18, 22, 30; July 1. 6, 19; 

 August 17; 8 trips, 0600-2045. Total man-hours: 17.8. Census: 

 Mourning Dove, 9 (36, 15); Western Meadowlark, 8 (32, 13); Horned 

 Lark, 4 (16, 6); Brown Thrasher, 4 (16, 6); Eastern Kingbird, 3 

 (12. 5); Loggerhead Shrike, 2; Lark Bunting, 2; Ring-necked 



' 235 



