THE CONDOR [VOL. VI Afield at Flathead BY P. M. SILLOWA N the morning of my arrival at the University of Montana Biological Station at Bigfork, head of Flathead Lake, the presence of the long-tailed chat (trcteria virens longicauda) was attested by its characteristic calls in the bush. 'The Station is at least seventy miles north of Selish, where I last ob- served this species. It appears that this chat is working its way northward in the Rocky Mountain region of Montana, and instead of limiting its range to southern Montana, we are safe in expecting its occurrence in suitable l,?calities thr?ughout the north-western part of the state. My collecting all the eggs (seven sets) in a small colony of the Holbcell grebe (Uolymbus/?olboelli) at Swan Lake last season was severely criticized. My actions were compared to those of the professional plume hunter, and I was accused of leaving a "devastated bird colony" in my wake. This criticism caused me to un- dertake a second visit to Swan Lake this season for the purpose of determining the approximate effects of my collecting upon the aggregate grebe life of the swamp at that place, and at considerable personal expense I organized another expedition to that locality. In my defense I claimed that my operations in the swamp would have but little effect upon the outcome in the aggregate. I give my notes for t9o 3 for what they are worth, believing that they will augment the fast accumulating mass of evidence to show that there is no occasion for misunderstanding between the conscientious oologist and the zealous bird protectionisl. On June ?8, three nests of the Holbcell grebe were found, two of five eggs each, and one of four, all covered and apparently partially incubated. Also a nest containing one fresh egg. On June ?9, another nest was found ct?ntaining one fresh egg. The foregoing data show that at least five pairs were nesting in the swamp, as many as were nesting in the preceding season. On June 22, a nest was found containing five eggs, covered, and apparently quite advanced in incubation. Hence at one time the swamp contained six nests, three with five eggs each, one with four eggs, a?d two with two eggs each. It is evident that the balance of grebe life in this colony was not greatly disturbed by my collecting of ?9o2, and as many grebes were cackling in the tangle in ?9o3 as were tenanting the sxvamp in ?9o2. The balance of bird life in nature is a mysterious fact. Why the same number of individuals or thereabout, will be found in the same area year after year, regardless of the natural increase or decrease, is an inexplicable matter. It is needless to say that in neither season did we kill any of the grebes, our depre- dations being limited to despoiling the nests as recorded. The Townsend warbler attracted my attention this season by its abundance. I had regarded this warbler as rather uncommon in the Flathead region, but this season it appeared to outrank any other warbler in numbers. During June, after our arrival, its song could be heard at all hours of the day. The warbler fre- quented the larger trees, such as tamarack and Douglas spruce, singing from a station above the middle of such a tree. The song resembles the syllables, "Reet, reet, reet, reet-er, ee-zee," and can easily be identified by the regular ending "ee-zee," in which the "ee" is accented and prolonged. The first week of July was rainy and chilly, and after that time I heard no more of the singing of this warbler. On June ?5 I found a nest of the Townsend warbler (lPendroica townsendi). It was in a clump of small fir trees on a rocky ridge formed by a "fault" near the
