May, 1914 BIRDS OF NORTHERN MONTANA 131 zones, feeding-on bear-berries and juniper, or on pine and fir needles when the berries are covered with snow. They return to the lower slopes again when the breeding season commences, about the middle of May. Canaohites franklin[ Franklin Grouse. Permanent resident in the moun- tains, occurring in the thick, dense, spruce forests along the mountain streams, and in the bottoms of gulches. Said to be less common now than formerly. Bonasa urnhellas umbelloides. Gray Ruffed Grouse. Permanent resident in the mountains, between altitudes of 4500 and 6000 feet. Inhabits the wil- low and cottonwood thickets of the lower mountain streams. All the birds I have observed closely in this region are B. u. umbelloides, while those of more southern Montana are B. u. togata. Lagopus leucurus leucurus. dent in the Alpine zone along the higher ridges. Only found on the more 're- mote ridges, along, or near, the continental divide. Pedioecetes phasianel- lus campestris. Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse. Per- manent resident of the prai- ries. The birds b?gin nest- ing in late. May, when the cooing sound which accom- panies the "chicken dance" may be heard any evening. The first young are usually seen early in July. In win- ter the birds gather in large flocks in the thickets, feed- ing largely on buffalo-ber- ries and wild rose hips. In spring and fall they frequent alfalfa fields, and eat the alfalfa leaves. Zenaidura macroura marginella. W e s t e r n Mourning Dove. Summer White-tailed Ptarmigan. Permanent resi- Fig. 42. NEST ANO EGGS OF THE MALLARD. resident. Much less common than in southern Montana. I found nests with eggs in July. Migration date: May 19, 1912. Circu.? hudzoniua. Marsh Hawk. Common summer resident. The most abundant hawk in the prairie portion of the region. An account of the nest- ing of this bird in this region has been published (see CONOOR, xv, 1913, pp. 195-204). Migration date: April 7, 1912. Aceipiter velox. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Summer resident in the moun- tains. Nests commonly in aspen groves and spruce thickets. Young are usually not out of the nest till late August. Migration dates: May 8, 1912, September 8, 1911, and September 13, 1912. Ac?ipiter cooperi. Cooper Hawk. Summer resident. Usually seen only in the mountains, but I observed one in a cottonwood grove near Choteau, July 8 and 9, 1912.
