56 Wyoming Experiment Station. 



tains, where I have seen them several times among the glacial 

 boulders. In July of 1890 I found an old bird with a covey of 

 ten or a dozen young that were less than half grown. When 

 the mother gave a note of alarm the birds dropped close to the 

 ground when in the open, or skulked into the dwarf willows 

 and hid. After the fright the old one commenced calling and 

 the young responded very much like young quail. I believe that 

 the Ptarmigan lives in all alpine districts in the state and the 

 one record is due to the fact that other ranges have not been 

 examined thoroughly. 



308 a. Pedioecetes phasianellus columbianus (Ord.). 

 Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse. 

 Resident, but not common. The records of this species in 

 Wyoming are very unsatisfactory ; but there is no doubt but 

 that this grouse is found in the state. McCarthy reports this 

 species 100 miles from Fort Laramie; Allen states that it is 

 found on the plains of Wyoming, and Coues notes that it is 

 found in Laramie and Upper Platte regions. So far as I can 

 learn from hunters and from personal observations these birds 

 have never been found on the Laramie plains. Although I have 

 traveled extensively in this state I have never seen one of these 

 birds. 



308 b. Pedioecetes phasianellus campestris Ridgw. 

 Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse. 

 Resident and common in eastern and northwestern Wyo- 

 ming. I have never seen this species west of the Big Horn or 

 Laramie mountains. They are very abundant in Crook county 

 and are found along the streams on the north and east of the 

 Big Horn mountains. They are rather common in the valley 

 of the Platte below Casper and southward along the Laramie 

 mountains. Jesurun reports them common at Douglas ; Bond 

 has taken them at Cheyenne ; West at Buffalo. I have killed a 

 number of these birds in Crook county. Carey reports this 

 species at Newcastle. 



