136 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XVI 
Molothrus ater ater. Cowbird. Abundant summer resident on the prai- 
ries. In 1912, I found the eggs of this species in nests of the Brewer Black- 
bird, Chipping Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, Cedar Wax- 
wing and Yellow Warbler. Migration date: May 10, 1912. 
Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. Yellow-headed Blackbird. Summer 
resident of rush-grown sloughs on the prairies. Migration date : May 7, 1912. 
Agelaius phoeniceus fortis. Thick-billed Redwing. Summer resident, 
nesting in cat-tail sloughs on the prairies. Migration date : April 15, 1912. On 
this date I found both sexes present, though it is usually stated that the females 
come later than the males. Nesting begins about the middle of May, and the 
first young may be found on the wing in the latter half of June. (See fig. 45.) 
Sturnella neglecta. Western Meadowlark. Abundant summer resident 
of the prairies. Migration date : April 4, 1912. Nesting begins late in May, 
and nests with eggs may be found in the first half of June. Young out of the 
nest are first seen late in June. The young leave the nest when about ten days 
old. (See fig. 46.) 
Icterus bullocki. Bullock Oriole. Rare summer resident. A pair nested 
in Choteau in 1911, but were not seen in 1912. A few other birds were seen 
occasionally in the cottonwood groves. Migration date : May 25, 1912. 
Euphagus cyanocephalus. Brewer Blackbird. Abundant summer resi- 
dent on the prairies. Nests most commonly in shrubby cinquefoil and wild 
rose bushes. Migration dates : May 8, 1912, September 18, 1911. Nesting be- 
gins in the later half of May. A colony of these birds nests in the cinquefoil 
bushes near Choteau. I found nine nests there in 1912. The eggs hatch in 
twelve days, and the young leave the nest when ten days old. Most of them 
are on the wing in the latter half of June. The birds do not raise a second 
brood to my knowledge, but live in flocks with their young for the remainder 
of the summer. 
Quiscalus quiscula aeneus. Bronzed Grackle. I secured a pair of these 
birds near Choteau, May 25, 1912. They were the only ones I observed in the 
region, which must be about the western limit of their range in Montana. 
Grackles are not uncommon, however, a little farther south and east, at Great 
Falls. 
Pinicola enucleator montana. Rocky Mountain Pine Grosbeak. A rare 
summer resident of the high mountains in the Hudsonian zone. I have ob- 
served it only a few times. 
Carpodacus cassini. Cassin Purple Pinch. Summer resident in the moun- 
tains in the Canadian and Hudsonian zones. Not common. 
Loxia curvirostra minor. Crossbill. A flock observed near Lubec, Jan- 
uary 15, 1912. 
Leucosticte tephrocotis tephrocotis. Gray-crowned Rosy Finch. Migrant 
in the mountains, and occasional winter resident on the prairies. Not common, 
but in large flocks when seen. Migration date : October 22, 1911. 
Leucosticte tephrocotis littoralis. Hepburn Rosy Finch. Occurs with the 
above, but in smaller numbers. 
Acanthis linaria linaria. Redpoll. Common winter visitor on the prai- 
ries. Migration dates : October 22, 1911, and April 23, 1912. 
Astragalinus tristis pallidus. Western Goldfinch. Common summer resi- 
dent of the prairie region, nesting in cottonwood groves. Migration date : 
May 23, 1912. Evidently does not nest until July. 
