154 CAMP-FIRES IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES 



head with a .22-calibre pistol; but with a good rifle or 

 shot-gun, it is plain murder in the first degree. In flight 

 this bird strongly resembles the pinnated grouse, or 

 prairie-chicken, except that the flight of the latter is 

 stronger. 



On the summit of the divide, and beyond the last of 

 the stunted spruces, I found some willow ptarmigan. 

 Their snow-white wings and tails, in full winter plu- 

 mage, contrasted sharply with the brown summer plu- 

 mage which still clothed their bodies. As usual, these 

 birds slowly stalked about over the sky meadow, quite 

 willing that I should approach within ten feet of them. 

 At last, however, they rose, saying " cluck-cluck-cluck," 

 and flew down the mountain a quarter of a mile. 



Above the point where my friendly little gulch starts 

 down, a view from the summit reveals a sudden drop 

 toward Bull River, and a great basin below. Turning 

 southward, I followed the sky-line of the summit in such 

 a manner as to thoroughly inspect every outcrop of 

 sheep rocks, and every patch of open timber. The for- 

 mer might contain mule deer, and either might harbor a 

 band of sheep. 



At one point on the summit I found a very interest- 

 ing growth of stunted spruces. They grew in family 

 clumps, about as far apart as the trees in an orchard, 

 and the curious thing about them was that they were so 

 stunted by the warfare of the elements that they were 

 really pygmy trees. Their large trunks, low stature, — 

 seldom exceeding five feet, — and dwarfed limbs remind 

 one of the strange dwarf trees produced by the tie-back 



