NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 147 



the summer and winter dress is similar. The general mode of living 

 is said to be the same, but it does not retire very far into wooded dis- 

 tricts in winter, frequenting the more open woodland on the border of 

 lakes, especially on the skirts of the Barren Lands. Mr. MacFarlane 

 found this species breeding in the vicinity of Fort Anderson, incubat- 

 ing in June, and young birds of goodly size were observed June 30. 

 The nests were placed on the ground and were of the same composi- 

 tion as those of L. lagopus. The eggs with certainty cannot be dis- 

 tinguished from those of the Willow Ptarmigan, but are described as 

 usually less heavily spotted or less densely marked averaging lighter 

 in color and less in size, i.yox 1.18. 



3020. Lagopus rupestris reinhardti ( BREHM.) 



Reiiilinrdt's Ptarmigan. 



Hab. Greenland and western shores of Cumberland Gulf, and northern extremity of Labrador. 



The general appearance, summer dress, etc., of the Greenland 

 Ptarmigan is similar to that of the foregoing. It is found in Green- 

 land and the islands on the western side of Cumberland Gulf and 

 Northern Labrador. The eggs are described as being similar to those 

 of L. rupestris, averaging 1.65 x 1.17. 



304. Lagopus leucurus SWAINS. [476.] 



White-tailed Ptarmigan. 



Hab. Alpine summits of the Rocky Mountains, south to New Mexico, north into British Provinces; 

 west to the higher ranges of Oregon, Washington Territory, and British Columbia. 



The Rocky Mountain Snow Grouse inhabits the Alpine regions of 

 Western North America from British America south to New Mexico. 

 In summer it is found on the mountain ranges from the timber line to 

 the highest peaks ; at this season, the upper parts of the plumage of 

 this species are minutely marked with black, white, grayish-brown 

 and tawny, with the tail, wing and lower parts white. In winter the 

 plumage is entirely white. Mr. Dille informs me that it breeds com- 

 monly in Lamar county, Colorado, making the nest in some cavity 

 among rocks above high timber line. The nest is scantily made of a 

 few grasses. The eggs are from eight to fifteen in number, generally 

 eight or nine, creamy-ground color, marked very finely over the entire 

 surface with umber-brown. The surface is often almost entirely hid- 

 den by the heavy markings. Average size 1.68x1.15. Mr. Dille 

 states that the eggs are deposited early in June. 



305. Tympanuchus americanus (REICH.) [477.] 



Prairie Hen. * 



Hab. Prairies of the Mississippi Valley, south to Louisiana and Texas, west to Middle Kansas, 

 Nebraska and Dakota; north to Wisconsin, east to Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. 



The Prairie Hen or Pinnated Grouse is a well known game bird, 



* The Lesser Prairie Hen, Tympanuchus pallidicinctus ( Ridgw.) inhabits the warmer and dryer 

 regions of the Southwestern Prairies border of the Great Plains, from Texas northward. 



