968 r.RlTISH Col.r.MlUA SUPPLEMENT. 



General Range. — Xorthern .-Vsia. Arctic America, Greenland, Iceland; breeding cliielly 

 on the Barren Oronnds ; south irregularly in winter but not reaching northern border of 

 United States. 



Occurrence in British Columbia. — Mr. Samuel X. Rhoads in his reconnoissance in the 

 summer of ii<9/! reported tlie Rock Ptarmigan as occurring in the Cascades and also upon 

 the summits of the Rockies along the line of the Canadian Pacific Railway but a very careful 

 search of the mountains in the section referred to has failed to disclose any trace of the 

 bird in the southern portion of our Province and I am convinced that Mr. Rhoads must have 

 accepted hearsay testimony relative to the White-tailed Ptarmigan (/,. Icucurcs) which, of 

 course, is abundant in this region. Tlie Rock Ptarmigan does occur commonly in Atlin and 

 as far south as the Icha Mountains in northern Chilcotin. Specimens taken in the last named 

 locality by Mr. F. Kcrmode seem unusually small and dark-colored. 



B. C. No. 13. 



WHITK-BKl.I.Il'.U BRAXT. 



A. V. Xo. I7ji Branta bernicia glaucogastra (Brehm.). 



Description.— Similar to B. nigricans U]. v. p. 835) biit lighter in coloration, breast light 

 ashy-gray in abrupt contrast with black of jugulum. fading on lower belly into white of 

 crissnm, shading on sides to darker: patch of white streaks on side of upper neck reduced 

 and not meeting fellow in front. Size of B. nigricans. 



General Range. — Europe and northern Xorth .'America; in the latter chiefly along the 

 eastern .Arctic and north .Atlantic coasts, but soiuh in wmter irregularly to north Pacific 

 and on inland waters of northern United Slates. 



Occurrence in British Columbia. — On the i,?th of December, igo.i I noticed a bunch 

 of six Brant that kept apart from the large numbers of Black Brant in Como.\ harbor, V. I. 

 After a bit of hard work I managed to kill one which proved to be an adult female of the 

 Atlantic species. The others were undoubtedly an ;idult male and four young of the same 

 species, as they all looked very light-colored. The specmien was in every way typical B. b. 

 glaucogastra. with interrupted collar and black of breast sharply defined against the pale 

 gray lower surface. I have since found the Eastern Brant a not uncommon migrant on the 

 Pacific Coast and have taken a number of specimens. The birds usually keep to themselves 

 in small companies and only once have I killed both species out of the same flock. In an 

 average season probably eight per cent of the Brant which came as far south as Comox Bay 

 are of this lighter sort. There seems to be no tendency towards intergradation unless a 

 single male with neck-patches united in front nii.ght l:e so regarded. 



B. C. No. 14. 



HORXED PUFFIX. 



.A. O. I'. No. 14. Fratercula corniculata (Niium.). 



Description. — Adult in breeding l^hiinagc: Crown dull grayish black, narrowing to 

 pomt on extreme forehead; remaining upperparts glossy blue-black, connecting with broad 

 collar of sooty black; sides of head and remaining tmderparts white; bill much compressed, 

 nearly as deep as long, vermilion; rosette at angle of mouth orange; an upright horny 

 appendage projecting from upper eye-lid and a similar one extending horizontally liackward 

 from lower lid bluish gray; eye-lids red; irides brown; feet orange with vermilion-tinted 

 webs. In winter basal portions of bill deciduous in seven plates and coloration of head and 

 feet duller hut relation of black and white in pluma.ge unchanged. Length i4..=;o; wing 7.25; 

 tail 2.75; bill 2.00, depth at base t.8o; tarsus i.io. 



Nesting. — Single roughened white egg deposited ui crevice of rock or at end of bin-row 

 in bank. .A v. size. 2.75 x 1.75. 



General Range. — Breeding on coasts and island.s of the Xorth Pacific and adjacent 

 polar seas; ^onth in winter to the Knriles and, rarely, to the Queen Charlotte Islands. 



Occurrence in British Columbia. — Queen Charlotte Islands, as abo\e. Specimens taken 

 at Massett. 



