10 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Genus LAGOPUS Brisson. 



Lagopus Bbiss. Orn. i, 1760, 181. Type, Tetrao lagopus Linn. 



Gen. Chae. Nasal groove densely clothed with feathers. Tail of sixteen or eighteen 

 feathers. Legs closely feathered to the claws. Plumage snow-white in winter. 



The Ptarmigans inhabit the northern regions of both hemi- 

 spheres, and with the Arctic fox and hares, the lemmings, and a 

 few other species, characterize the Arctic zone. They are of rare 

 occurrence within the limits of the United States, though farther 

 north they become abundant. The species all change to white 

 in winter, except L. scoticus] which is permanently dark rusty 

 brown, and inhabits the uplands of Scotland and England. 



Lagopus lagopus (Linn.) 



WILLOW PTARMIGAN. 



Popular synonyms. White Ptarmigan; Willow Grouse. 



Tetrao lagopus Linn. S. N. ed. 10, i, 1758 159. 

 Lagopus lagopus Stejn. Proc. U. S. Nat Mus. viii, 1885. 20.— A. O. U. Check List, 1886, 

 No. 301.-Ridgw. Man. N. Am. B. 1887, 199. 

 Tetrao albus Gm. S. N. i, pt, ii, 1788, 750. 

 Lagovus albus Aud. Synop. 1839,207; B. Am. v, 1812, 114-Nutt. Man. 2d ed. i, 1840, 816.— 

 Baibd, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 467. -Coues, Key, 1872, 235; Check List, 1874. No. 

 386; 2d ed. 1882, No. 568; B. N. W. 1874, 429.-B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. iii, 1874. 457. pi. 

 62, figs. 1. 2, 3— Ridgw. Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 474. 

 Tetrao saliceti Temm. Man. ii, 1820, 474— A. ud. Orn. Biog. ii, 1834, 528, pi. 191. 



Hab. Northern North America, south, in winter, to northern border of United States 

 (northern New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Illinois?, etc.). Also found 

 in northern parts of the Old World. 



Sp. Chae. Bill very stout; high as the distance from the nasal groove to its tip. Tail 

 always black, narrowly tipped with white; wing (except upper coverts) pure white. 



"Summer. Male, (No. 43,505, Fort Anderson, September 8 ; R. MacFarlane) : Head, neck, 

 and jugulum deep cinnamon- rufous: whole upper parts (except wings) paler, more fulvous 

 brown, broadly and closely barred with black. Top of head spotted with black, and the 

 jugulum and neck with scattered bars of the same, Wing, 7.50; bill, .40 from nostril, and .35 

 deep. Female (No. 53,526, Fort Anderson, June, 1865; R. MacFarlane) : Entire plumage (ex- 

 cept wings, tail, and legs) fulvous-buff, heavily spotted and barred with black. Wing, 

 7.20; bill, .40 by .40. 



"Winter. Entire plumage, except the tail (which is black with white tip), immaculate 

 snowy-white; shafts of primaries black. Male (No. 34,968, Northwest R., Labrador; D. 

 Smith): Wing, 7.50; bill, .42 by .45. Female (No. 50,060, Nulato, Lower Yukon. April 12, 1867; 

 W. H. Dall): Wing, 7.50; bill, .42 by. 42. 



"Chic k (No. 2,648, Fort Anderson, July, 1864). Prevailing color greenish buff, tinged 

 with sulphur-yellow on the throat and abdomen, and washed with fulvous on the upper 

 parts. A large oval vertical patch of chestnut-rufous, bordered all round by a black line, 

 which, from the occiput, is continued down the nape in a broad distinct stripe of black. On 

 the upper part of the back this stripe bifurcates, and continues in two broad parallel stripes 

 to the lower part of rump, where they again unite. A black stripe across the wing and one 

 through the eye and auriculars." (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



