ROCK GROUSE. 611 



This species is nearly allied to the Common Ptarmigan 

 (T. lagopus), but it is smaller, has more of the brownish- 

 yellow in its summer dress, broader bars of black, and none 

 of the cinereous tint which prevails in the livery of the 

 Ptarmigan. In winter they are only distinguishable by the 

 size. This species is, according to Hutchins, numerous at 

 the two extremities of Hudson's Bay, but does not appear at 

 the middle settlements (York and Severn factories), except 

 in very severe seasons, when the Willow Grouse are scarce. 

 They abound in Melville Island in the dreary latitude of 

 74° and 75°, in the short summers of that frigid and cheer- 

 less region. It is also found on Melville Peninsula and the 

 Barren Grounds, and indeed seldom proceeds farther south 

 in winter than the 63d parallel in the interior, but descends 

 along the coasts of Hudson's Bay, to latitude 58°, and in 

 severe seasons still farther to the south. It is also met with 

 in the range of the Rocky Mountains as far to the south as 

 the latitude of 55°. It also exists in Greenland, Norway, 

 and Sweden, where it is known by the name of sno rissa. 

 In its manner and mode of living it resembles the Willow 

 Grouse, but does not retire so, far into the woody country in 

 winter. It frequents the open woods on the borders of lakes 

 at the same season, particularly in the 65th parallel, though 

 the bulk of the species remain on the skirts of the Barren 

 Grounds. It hatches in June. The egg is of a pale red- 

 dish-brown, irregularly blotched and spotted with darker 

 brown. 



Length 14 inches ; the tail 4 inches ; the bill above 7 lines ; the 

 tarsus 1 inch 4^ lines. — In winter, snow-white. The shafts of 6 

 greater quills and 14 tail feathers black ; the latter narrowly tipped 

 with white. Bill black. Nails whitish, dark at the base. The male 

 has a black eye stripe from the nostrils to the hind head. Tail of 16 

 feathers, 14 black ones and 2 white incumbent ones. — Summer 

 plumage of a female. The head, neck, back, scapulars, tertiaries, 

 part of the intermediate coverts, and the under plumage, barred with 



