462 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



the capillaries in the skin of the abdomen become engorged with serous fluid, 

 and give to the bird a disgusting appearance. Mr. Dall obtained eggs in an 

 open tundra near the mouth of the Yukon in the latter part of June. 

 The female defended her nest bravely, and rather than desert her eggs 

 allowed herself to be torn to pieces by a dog. 



Mr. Bannister was also struck with the strong attachment shown to each 

 other by both sexes during the breeding-season. He has known the male 

 bird to sacrifice his own life, rather than desert his wounded mate. He 

 mentions them as common at St. Michaels and the adjoining mainland 

 during the greater part of the year, but especially abundant in the spring, 

 when they are found singly or in pairs all over the country. In the fall 

 and winter they kept more to the thickets of willows. The greater part 

 of them were supposed to have gone into the wooded district of the interior 

 for better shelter and more abundant food. 



The eggs of tliis species vary considerably in length and breadth ; they 

 average about 1.85 inches in length and 1.20 in breadth, and are oval in 

 shape, one end a little less obtuse than the other. They are all beautifully 

 variegated and marked with bold confluent blotches of a dark claret color, 

 upon a ground of a deep cream tinged with a reddish shading. 



Lagopus mutus, var. rupestris, Leach. 



ROCK PTARMIGAN. 



Tetrao rupestris, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 751 (based on Rock Grouse of Pennant). — 

 Latham, Ind. Orn. II, 1790, 312. — Sabine, Supplem. Parry's First Voyage, page 

 cxcv. — ElCHARDSON, Append. Parry's Second Voyage, 348. — AuD. Orn. Biog. IV, 

 1838, 483, pi. ccclxviii. Lagojnis riqKStris, Leach, Zocil. Misc. II, 290. — Bon. List, 

 1838. — AuD. Syn. 208. — Ib. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 122, pi. ccci. — Baird, Birds IST. 

 Am. 1858, 635. — Elliot, Monog. Tetraon. pi. — Gray, Cat. Brit. Mus. V, 1867, 92. 

 — Dall & Bannister, Tr. Chicago Ac. I, 1869, 287. Tetrao {Lagopus) rupestris, 

 ■ Swains. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 354, pi. Ixiv. Attagen rupestris, Reich. Av. Syst. Nat. 

 1851, page xxix. Rock Grouse, Pennant, Arctic Zool. II, 312. Lagopus islandorum. 

 Fab. Prod, der Island. Orn. x)age 6. — Gray, Gen. — Ib. Cat. B. Brit. Mus. Ill, 47, 

 1844. Tetrao lagopus islandicus, Schleg. Rev. Crit. des Ois. d'Eur. p. 76. Tetrao 

 islandicus, Brehm, Eur. Vog. II, 448. Lagopus reinhardti, Brehm. Lagopus 

 groenlandiciis, Brehm, Vogelfang, p. cclxiv, note. ? Tetrao lagopus, Sabine, E. Suppl. 

 Parry's First Voyage, p. cxcvii. — Sabine, J. Franklin's Jour. 682. — Rich. Ajip. Parry's 

 Second Voyage, 350. Tetrao (Lagopus) mutus. Rich. F. B. A. II, 1831, 350. Tetrao 

 mutus, AuD. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 196. Lagopiis mutus, Gray, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. 

 1867, 91 (Ft. Resolution and Ft. Simpson). Lagopus a/mericanus, AuD. Syn. 1839, 

 207, B. Am. V, 1842, 119, pi. ccc. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 637. 



Sp. Char. Bill slender ; distance from the nasal groove to tip (.35) greater than height 

 at base (.27). In summer the feathers of back black, banded distinctly with yellowish- 

 brown and tipped with white. In winter white, the tail black ; the male with a black 

 bar from bill through eye. Size considerably less than that of L. alhus. Length, about 

 14.50 ; wing, 7.50 ; tail, 4.50. 



