NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 227 



two weeks old, and was as yet covered with scarcely anything but down. Its 

 color was a dirty yellow ; the few feathers buff, transversely barred with 

 brown ; and in size it was about equal to a chicken a week or ten days old. 

 The species is invariably known as the "Spruce Partridge." 



Lagopus albus (G-m.) Aud. Ptarmigan. " Willow Partridge." 

 Lagopus albus, Aud., Birds Amer. v. 114, pi. 299. Baird, Gen. Rep. 633. 



Great confusion prevails among the North American Ptarmigan, both with 

 reference to the number of species to be enumerated, and their relationships 

 to those of Europe. This is occasioned partly by the remote and inaccessible 

 nature of the regions they inhabit, which cause comparatively few specimens 

 to reach the hands of naturalists, and the difficulty of procuring them in sum- 

 mer plumage ; since in winter they are almost entirely white, and present few 

 distinctive marks beyond those of size and slight differences of proportions. 

 By the latest authority on the subject, four species are assigned to North 

 America: L. albus Aud., (the old Tetrao albus of Gmelin,) the largest, en- 

 tirely white except the tail feathers, and with a very stout bill ; L. rupestris 

 Leach, which is smaller, with a slenderer bill and a black stripe through the 

 eye; L. Amer icanus Aud., a species doubtfully admitted, coming nearest to 

 the albics ; and L. Icucurus, a small western species, concerning which there 

 has been no difficulty. Two of these species are found in Labrador : the L. 

 albus and rupestris, known respectively as the "Willow" and "Rock Par- 

 tridge." The distinction between them is always recognized ; and they are so 

 named from the fact that the former is confined chiefly to thickly wooded dis- 

 tricts, while the latter inhabits more open and barren situations. 



On the 23d of July I came upon a pair of the larger kind, amid tangled 

 bushes in a low swampy situation. They were very tame and unsuspecting, 

 walking unconcernedly along but a few feet from me, though their being in 

 deep moult, and unable to fly, may have been the cause of this remarkable 

 familiarity. I am credibly informed, however, that at certain seasons, while 

 perched on trees, they can be captured by a noose at the end of a rod or pole. 

 Great numbers of these birds are skinned and stuffed by the natives, while in 

 winter plumage, and sold for about 25 cents apiece. While being skinned, 

 they emit a highly aromatic odor, very similar to that given out by the Spruce 

 Partridge. Their flesh is much used as an article of food. 



Lagopus rupestris Leach. Rock Ptarmigan. " Rock Partridge." 

 Lagopus rupestris, Aud., Birds Amer. v. 122, pi. 301. Baird, Gen. Rep. 635." 

 This species also occurs along the coast of Labrador, though, as might be 

 expected from the densely wooded nature of the greater part of the country, 

 much less abundantly than the preceding. I did not meet with it except in 

 the collections of the natives. 



Botaurus lentiginosus Steph. Bittern. 



Ardea lentiginosus, Aud., Birds Amer. vi. 94, pi. 365. 

 Botaurus lentiginosus, Baird, Gen. Rep. 674. 



The Bittern is the only species of Heron which ventures so far north as 

 Labrador, with the exception of the Ardea herodias and Nyctiardea Gardeni, 

 which may possibly be found within its limits. The only indications I dis- 

 covered of the presence of the Bittern was a wing in the possession of a hunter, 

 who, however, did not consider it as a very rare bird. 



Charadrius Virginicus Borck. Golden Plover. 



Charadrius marmoratus, Aud., Birds Amer. v. 203, pi. 316. 

 Charadrius Virginicus, Cassin, Gen. Rep. 690. 



1861.] 



