20 THE CONDOR ]VOL. VI Birds of Fort Custer, Montana EDGAR A. MEARNS Y visit to Fort Custer was a brief one. Leaving Custer station on the Northern Pacific railroad very early on the morning of July 53, ?889, in the kind of conveyance known throughout the Army as an "ambulance," drawn by an excellent team of four mules, we reached Fort Custer (since aban- doned), located on a bluff beside the Bighorn River, about noon. The rest of that day, and the one following, were chiefly spent in looking about the country; and on July 25th, towards evening, we commenced the return trip to the railroad.at Custer. Following is a list of the birds observed: Act?tis macularia (Linn.). Spotted Sandpiper. One was seen on the bank of the Bighorn River. ,?gialitis vocifera (Linn.). Killdeer. Very many were seen along the streams, and on the mesa back of Fort Custer. Dendragapus obscurus richardsoni (Doug.). Richardson Grouse. [ saw wings and tails of this grouse that had been brought in to the tbrt from a sawml?11 in the neighboring mountains. Pedicecetes phasianellus campestTis (Ridg.). Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse. This is known as the "Willow Grouse." I saw several flocks as we drove along the Bighorn River, and shot two birds that were near the road. Centrocercus urophasianus (Bon.). Sage Grouse. Abundant on the grassy plain back of Fort Custer. On July 24th, my host, Doctor William R. Hall. U.S. Army, took me afield in his buckboard to shoot sage grouse. A few miles from the post the Captain's setter dog caught a half-grown one, which made a delicious meal; but, when older, the flesh is said to become tough and permeated with sage, for which reason these grouse were only shot by the officers of Fort Custer during the months of July and August. On this occasion a heavy thunder-storm drove us from the field before another covey could be found. Zenaidura macroura (Linn.). Mourning Dove. Very abundant, especially in the heavy timber bordering the Bighorn River. Cathartes aura (Linn.). Turkey Vulture. Abundant. Circus hudsonius (Linn.). Marsh Hawk. Common. Seen coursing the prairie in every direction. Buteo or Archibuteo. Several buzzard hawks were seen on telegraph poles at a distance. Both genera may have been represented. Falco sparverius deserticola Mearns. Desert Sparrow Hawk. Very abundant; fluttering and hovering over one spot, searching for grasshoppers on which they were feeding. They were very fearless, allowing the ambulance to pass within a few yards of them, sometimes following it in pursuit of grasshoppers disturbed by the passing vehicle. Speotyto cunicularia hypogaea (Bon.). Burrowing Owl. Many were seen in prairie-dog towns between Custer station and the Bighorn River. On the mesa around Fort Custer it was also numerous. (?01aptescafer collaris (Vigors). Red-shafted Flicker. Abundant wherever there was timber. Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Linn.). Red-headed Woodpecker. Abundant in the cottonwood timber of the river-bottoms. Choralelies virginianus sennertl (Coues). Sennett Nighthawk. Nighthawks
