Page:Condor14(1).djvu/25

 Jan., 1912 SOME BIRDS O1* SOUTHWESTERN MONTANA 25 Bonasa umbellus togata. Canadian Ruffed Grouse. Common permanent resi- dent throughout the region. To date I have not met /. tt. unbe//oides anywhere in southwestern Montana, but all the birds I have taken or seen closely have been referable to/, u. tog'ata. I believe that further investigation will show that /. u. unbelloides is a bird of lower elevations, occurring commonly in eastern and north- western Montana but entirely replaced by/. u. tog'ala in southwestern Montana, where even the valleys are mostly above 4500 feet in elevation. Pedioecotes phasianellus (subspecies ?). Sharp-tailed Grouse. Resident of the Jefferson and Deer Lodge valleys. Now quite rare in the latter place. I have taken no specimens and am not certain which subspecies the birds are referable to. Centrocorcus urophasianu. s. Sage-hen. Hunters familiar with this region in the past, state that the Sage-hen was formerly abundant in the sage-brush plains about Silver Bow. It is now probably entirely extinct in the region. Zenaidura macroura carolinensis. Mourning Dove. A common summer resi- dent of the valleys. Migration dates are May 29, 1910, September 26, 1910, and April 29, 1911. The latter is an exceptionally early date. Cathartes aura septenirionalis. Turkey Vulture. Seen November 1, 1910, on a high divide between Dry Cottonwood Creek and Browu's Gulch, the boundary line of Deer Lodge and Silver Bow counties. Mr. George Norton, a forest ranger stationed on Dry Cottonwood Creek, states that these birds are permanent residents, and that he believes that a pair breed each year on a high hi11 back of his station. Circus hudsonius. Marsh Hawk. Summer resident in the valleys. Breeds commonly in the marshes near Anaconda. Most abundant and noticeable in August and September. Accipiter velox. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Common summer resident. I found several broods of young with their parents, in thickets of young spruce on Gold Creek,Powell County, in August. Seen once in winter at Silver Bow,January 2,1911. Accipiter cooperi. Cooper Hawk. Summer resident throughout the region but rather c. ommoner in migration. Buteo borealis calurus. Western Red-tail. Common summer resident in the mountains. Migration dates are April 5, 1910, and October 9, 1910. Buteo swainsoni. Swainson Hawk. Seen but twice, at Silver Bow April 8, 1910, and in the lower Deer Lodge valley August 17, 1910. Archibuteo 'ferrugineus. Ferruginous Rough-leg. Quite common about Gold Creek, Powell County, in August, 1910. Seen but once elsewhere, on Pipestone Creek, Jefferson County, October 9, 1910. Aquila chrysaetos. Golden Eagle. Seen only in Deer Lodge County. Said to be quite common on the Big Hole River in the southwestern part of the county. Falco mexicanus. Prairie Falcon. Seen quite commonly about Gold CreelS, Powell County, in July and August, 1910. Falco peregrinus ariaturn. Duck Hawk. Observed in spring migrations in several places in Deer Lodge'and Silver Bow counties, on March 23, and April 19 and 20, 1910, and April 23, 1911. l*alco sparverius phalaena. Desert Sparrow Hawk. Common summer resident in the valleys. Migration dates are April 27, 1910, and September 25, 1910. Pandion haliaetus carolinensis. Osprey. Seen on the Big Hole River, Silver Bow County, May i and 6, 1910. Asio wilsonianus. Long-eared Owl. One secured on Mill Creek, Deer Lodge County, August 27, 1909. Another seen near Homestake, Jefferson County, June 25, 1910. In both cases the birds came about our camp fire in the early evening, apparently attracted by the light.