chamberlain's ptarmigan 221 



somewhat to the difference of date in their capture, the Adak birds 

 having been obtained one month later, but more to their geographical 

 distribution, as Adak is several hundred miles east of Kyska, and the 

 birds' environment has produced a different result upon them but one, 

 not yet sufficiently pronounced to establish even a subspecific form." 



It is now well known that townsendi is confined to Kiska Island 

 and is a well-marked race, being darker and more heavily barred than 

 any of the other races found on the central islands. The Adak bird 

 has since been separated by Austin H. Clark (1907), under the name 

 chamberlaini. 



We were on Kiska Island from June 17 to 21 and on Adak Island 

 on June 26 and 27. We collected good series on both islands, in 

 which the characters of both races are well marked, showing that the 

 two forms are quite distinct. It is, therefore, clearly a geographical 

 difference and not a seasonal change, as Doctor Elliot (1896) 

 evidently thought it might be. 



At Kiska Island, on June 17, the ptarmigan of this form were still 

 in the uplands, were much wilder than the Atka birds, and not nearly 

 so abundant ; but during the few days that we were there we succeeded 

 in collecting a good series. No nests were found ; probably we were 

 too early for complete sets, and nests would be found later on in the 

 long grass of the lowlands. So far as we could see, the habits and 

 behavior of the Kiska birds are similar to those of the other races on 

 the neighboring islands, as their environment is practically the same. 

 These islands are all so widely separated that it seems very unlikely 

 that the ptarmigan ever fly from one to the other. Hence each island 

 has produced its peculiar form, which is completely isolated and 

 permanently resident. All these ptarmigan proved to be very good 

 to eat, and we found their plump bodies very welcome additions to 

 the ship's stores of canned food. 



LAGOPUS RUPESTRIS CHAMBERLAINI Clark 



CHAMBERLAIN'S PTARMIGAN 



HABITS 



The Adak ptarmigan was separated from the Kiska and Atka 

 birds and given the name chamberlaini by Austin H. Clark (1907). 

 It differs from the Kiska bird " in its finer vermiculations above, 

 which give the bird a grayer appearance — the whole plumage pre- 

 senting a much more delicate pattern." He calls it intermediate 

 between the Kiska and the Atka birds, " but in general coloration 

 it is much grayer than either, being the grayest of all the Aleutian 

 ptarmigan." 



