brooks: birds from east Siberia and arctic al.\ska. 365 



After strutting about and "showing off" a moment he would busy 

 himself searching for food as though no man were in the country. In 

 the winter plumage the males are very beautiful. 



The female begins to acquire summer plumage before the male, 

 showing brown feathers on the crown and ear-coverts by May 6, 

 though two observed with binoculars on May 20, revealed no summer 

 plumage whatever. On May 8, I took two females, one in full winter 

 plumage, the other in a state of transition not observed before. The 

 head and neck were white but the right side of the rump and lower 

 back had the summer plumage with its border down the middle of 

 the back sharply defined. Females in full summer plumage were 

 found early in June. 



The earliest male shavving any change was taken May 13, though 

 one taken on the 20, showed no change. No opportunity was afforded 

 for noting the plumage change in the males for the birds had gone back 

 to the foot hills for nesting before acquiring full summer plumage. 



During the latter part of May when most of the snow has gone the 

 white males are very conspicuous. They do not roost on the snow 

 patches that remain, and while on the tundra their form makes them 

 very noticeable though the color might suggest a small bit of snow. 

 For at least a month nature gives this bird little protection. 



Beside a large series of birds from Camden Bay, Humphrey Point, 

 Demarcation Point, and near Herschel Island, two males were taken 

 at East Cape, Siberia, June 16, 1913, and a female at Portage Bay, 

 Alaska Peninsula, April 21, 1913. The males from East Cape show 

 summer plumage on the crown, nape, and sides of head. 



Lagopus rupestris dixoni Grinnell. 

 dixon's ptarmigan. 



About three hundred were seen April 12, 1913, at Muir Inlet, 

 Glacier Bay, Alaska. A series of five was preserved. 



Lagopus ridgwayi Stejneger. 



Several were seen on the mountain side at Copper Island, May 7, 

 1913. Dr. J. S. Kalinin who resides there and takes great interest in 

 the local bird life stated that some years they were quite plentiful 

 and during others absent. No doubt this is due to the blue foxes 



