464 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



color with the soil, and hardly distinguishable from it. The man was within 

 three feet, and, making a swoop, caught her on the nest. 



Excepting in 1862, Mr. MacFarlane did not meet with any of this species 

 west of the Swan Eiver, on his various journeys to Franklin Bay. Every 

 season, almost immediately on leaving the woods fringing Swan River, birds 

 began to be seen as far as and all along the Arctic coast. Although con- 

 stantly found feeding in large numbers on the Barrens, it was always diffi- 

 cult to find their nests. They were most numerous between Horton River 

 and Franklin Bay, and were frequently seen standing singly, or feeding on 

 the ground, or an occasional pair might be seen, but it was seldom any num- 

 ber were observed in company. 



Mr. Dall states that this species was not uncommon in the Romanzoff 

 Mountains, northwest of Fort Yukon, but did not know of its being found 

 farther south or west. It was obtained by S. Weston at Fort Yukon, and 

 among the mountains by Mr. McDougal. 



The eggs of this species closely resemble those of L. alhus, but are some- 

 what smaller in size. They measure 1.63 inches in length by 1.18 in 

 breadth, varying slightly in size. Their ground is a deep reddish cream- 

 color, nearly covered by large blotches of a reddish-chestnut, giving a beauti- 

 fully variegated effect to the whole. 



Lagopus leucurus, Swainson & Richardson. 



WHITE-TAILED PTAEMIGAN. 



Tetrao (Lagopus) leucurus, Sw. & Rich. F. B. A. II, 1831, 356, pi. Ixiii. — Nutt. Man. 

 Orn. II, 1834, 612. — Ib. I, (2d ed.,) 1840, 820. — DouGL. Tr. Linn. Soc. XVI, 146. 

 Tetrao leucurus, AUD. Ovn. Biog. V, 1839, 200, jil. ccccxviii. Lagopus leucurus, Atru. 

 Syn. 1839. — Ib. B. Am. V, 1842, 125, pi. cccii. —Gray, Gen. III. — Baikd, Birds 

 N. Am. 1858, 637. — Bon. Comp. List. 441, No. 291. — Elliot, P. A. N. S. 1864. — 

 Ib. Monog. Tetraon. pi. — Gkay, Cat. Brit. Mus. V, 1867, 93. — Cooper, Orn. Cal. I, 

 1870, 542. 



Sp. Char. Male f winter (4,578, Fort Halkett, Liard's River). Entirely pure wliite, 

 including the tail. Wing, 6.70; tarsus, 1.00; middle toe, 1.00; bill, .35 by .29. 



Summer. Wings, tail, abdomen, crissum, and legs immaculate snowy-white. Ground- 

 color of rest of plumage grayish- white on head and neck and ashy-buff on other portions, 

 finely and rather sparsely sprinkled with black, — more in form of ragged transverse 

 bars anteriorly and on sides. (9, 16,002, Camp Skagitt, N. W. B., August 16; C. B. 

 Kennerly.) 



Hab. Alpine summits of the Western mountains, from lat. 39° in the Rocky Moun- 

 tains north into British America, and west to the Cascades of Oregon, Washington, 

 and British Columbia. 



Habits. This species was first procured by Mr. Drummond, and described 

 by Swainson in the " Fauna Borealis." Five specimens were taken on the 

 Rocky Mountains in the 54th parallel, and another, by Mr. MacPherson, on 

 the same chain, nine degrees farther north. They were said to have all the 



