GALLINACEOUS BIRDS 



301. Willow Ptarmigan. 



Lagopus lagopus lagopus. 



Range. — Arctic regions, in America south nearly 

 to the United States border, and casually to 

 Maine. 



Ptarmigan are Grouse-like birds, feathered to 

 the toe nails; they have many changes of plum- 

 age, in winter being nearly pure white, and in 

 summer largely reddish brown or grayish, bar- 

 red with black. 

 In the breeding 

 plumage they 

 have red comb- 

 like wattles over 

 the eye. In other 

 seasons, their 



plumage varies in 

 all degrees be- 

 tween winter and 

 summer. They 

 nest on the 

 ground in hollows 

 among the leaves, 

 lined with a few grasses, and sometimes feathers. 

 They lay from six to sixteen eggs which have a 

 ground color of buff or brownish buff, heavily 

 speckled, blotched and marbled with blackish 

 brown. Si;;e 1.75 \ L.25. 



301a. Allen's Ptarmigan. 



Lagopus lagopus alleni. 



Range. Newfoundland. A very similar bird to 

 the preceding; eggs indistinguishable. 



i ■ 



r 



Brownish buff 



Willow Ptarmif 



Rock Ptarmigan 



302. Rot is Ptarmigan. Lagopus rupestris rupestris. 



Range. Chiefly in the interior of Bi 

 v i erica, from the southern portion: 1 1 



and the Antic Ocean. 



A species with a smaller bill and in summer 



,i grayer plumage, n ore flm iy barre 1 with 

 I. lack. Its nesting habits are the same ;• 

 el her specie . h ae I ing en t he ground In 

 localities as would be frequented bj the R 

 c, ,,ii. i . it i eggs cannol !><• posit i\ elj distin- 

 guished from those of 'he Willow Ptarmi 

 L.70 \ L.20. 



183 



