464 NORTH AiMEKlCAN BIRDS. 



color with tlio soil, and luudly (listin_u;insliable from it. The man was within 

 three feet, and, making a .swoop, caught her on tiie nest. 



Excepting in 1862, Jlr. MacFarlane did not meet with any of this species 

 west of the Swan River, on his various journeys to Franklin Bay. Every 

 season, almost immediately on leaving the woods fringing Swan liiver, birds 

 began to be seen as far as and all along the Arctic coast. Although con- 

 stantly found feeding in large numbers on the Barrens, it was always diffi- 

 cult to find tlieir nests. They were most numerous between Horton liiver 

 and Franklin Bay, and were frequently seen standing singly, or feeding on 

 the ground, or an occasional pair might be seen, but it was seldom any num- 

 ber were observed in company. 



Mr. Dall states that this species was not uncommon in the Romanzoff 

 Mountains, northwest of Fort Yukon, but did not know of its being found 

 farther south or west. It was olitained by S. Weston at Fort Yukon, and 

 among tlie mountains by Mr. McDougal. 



. The eggs of this species closely resemble those of L. alhm, but are some- 

 what smaller in size. They measure 1.63 inches in length liy 1.18 in 

 breadth, varying slightly in size. Their ground is a deep reddish cream- 

 color, nearly covered by large blotches of a reddish-chestnut, giving a beauti- 

 I'ully variegated effect to the whole. 



Lagopus leucurus, Swainsox & Richardson. 



WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN. 



Tarao (Lagopus) leucurus, Sw. & Rich. F. B. A. II, 1831, 356, pi. Ixiii. — XrTT. Man. 

 Om. II, 1834, 612. —In. I, (2d ed.,) 1840, S20. — DorcL. Tr. Linn. Soc. XVI, 146. 

 Tctrao leucurus, AcD. Om. Biog. V, 1839, 200, pi. ccccxviii. Lagopus hucurus, Aud. 

 Syn. 1839. — Ib. B. Am. V, 1842, 125, pi. cccii. — Gray, Gen. HI. — Baird, Birds 

 N. Am. 1858, 637. —Bon. Comp. List. 441, No. 291. — Elliot, P. A. N. S. 1864. — 

 Ib. Monog. Tetraon. pi. — Ge.\y, Cat. Brit. Mus. V, 1867, 93. — Cooper, Om. Cal. I, 

 1870, 542. 



Sp. Char. Male ? u-inter (4,578, Fort Halkett, Liard's River). Entirely pure white, 

 including the tail. Wing, 6.70; tar.*n.=, 1.00; middle toe, 1.00; bill, 3.5 by .29. 



Summer. AVings, tail, abdomen, crissum, and leg.^ immaculate snowy-white. Ground- 

 color of rest of plumage grayish-white on head and neck and ashy-buff on other portions, 

 finely and rather sparsely sprinkled with black, — more in form of ragged transverse 

 bars anteriorly and on sides. (?. 1(5,002, Camp Skagitt, N. W. B., August 16; C. B. 

 Kenncrly.) 



Hab. Alpine summits of the Western mountains, from lat. 39° in the Rocky Moun- 

 tains north into British .\meriea, and west to the Cascades of Oregon, Washington, 

 and British Columbia. 



Habits. This sjjecies was first procured by Mr. Drummond, and described 

 by Swainson in tlie "Fauna Borealis." Five specimens were taken on the 

 Eocky Jlountains in the 54th jiarallel, and another, by Mr. MacPlierson, on 

 the same chain, nine degrees farther nortli. They were said to have all the 



