130 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XVI 
June. Migration date : May 23, 1912. Probably returns south very early, as 
1 have no records later than July 3, 1911, and July 7, 1912. 
Recurvirostra americana. Avocet. Common summer resident of the 
])rairies, nesting on the shores of alkaline ponds, and on islands in the larger 
ones (see fig. 43). Begins nesting late in May, and downy young are seen by 
the middle of June. Migration date: May 23, 1912. Most of the birds evi- 
dently leave in August, but I have record of one September 1, 1911. 
Gallinago delicata. Wilson Snipe. Found in small numbers all the year 
around. Nests regularly, but not commonly, in wet marshy meadows, and 
occurs all winter around warm springs where the water remains open. 
Pisobia maculata. Pectoral Sandpiper. A small flock seen and one bird 
secured at Priest Butte Lakes, Sejitember 4, 1911. 
Pisobia bairdi. Baird Sandpiper. Migrant on the shores of alkaline 
ponds. Observed August 13 to September 4, 1911. 
Pisobia minutilla. Least Sandpiper. Found Avith the above species on 
August 13, 1911. 
Limosa fedoa. Marbled GodAvit. A single indiAudual seen at Priest Butte 
Lakes, May 26, 1912. 
Totanus melanoleucus. Greater Yellowdegs. Migrant. Observed at 
Priest Bntte Lakes September 4, 1911. 
Totanus flavipes. YelloAAdegs. Common migrant. Dates are August 13 
to September 4, 1911, and May 8 to 23, 1912. 
Helodromas solitarius cinnamomeus. Western Solitary Sandpiper. Fall 
migrant. Observed about prairie ponds August 5 to 18, 1911, and on the upper 
Snn River in the mountains, August 13, 1912. 
Bartramia longicauda. LTpland Plover. Observed once near Choteau, 
Jnne 27, 1911. 
Actitis macularius. Spotted Sandpiper. Common summer resident along 
the borders of streams, both on the prairies and in the mountains up to about 
5500 feet altitude. Migration dates : May 17, 1912, and August 28, 1911. I 
found several nests near Choteau in June, 1912; in one of these the eggs 
hatched on June 22. (See fig. 44.) 
Numenius americanus. Long-billed CurleAv. Summer resident. Still 
common in many places on the prairies, but becoming rare in the more thickly 
settled parts. Begins nesting in May. In late July the young and old birds 
gather in large flocks about the alkaline ponds, and most of them leave soon 
after this. Migration dates : September 4, 1911, and April 20, 1912. 
Bquatarola squatarola. Black-bellied Plover. Several birds of this spe- 
cies observed at Priest Butte Lakes, Septeml m 4, 1911. 
Oxyechus vociferus. Killdeer. Abundant summer resident. Nests com- 
monly throughout the prairies. Migration dates : March 26, 1912, and Octo- 
ber 12, 1912. In fall migration the Killdeer evidently passes over in consider- 
able numbers at night. The call of this bird may be heard late at night, com- 
ing from OAmrhead, through September and in early October. 
Dendragapus obscurus richardsoni. Richardson Grouse. Abundant resi- 
dent thronghout the mountains. Breeds on the grass slopes of the upper Tran- 
sition and loAver Canadian zones. Broods of young are very common in such 
])laces all summer, feeding very largely on grasshoppers. About the middle 
of September, Avhen the first snoAvstorms come, the grouse move up the moun- 
tains ; here they Avinter along the ridges of the upper Canadian and Hudsonian 
