LAOOPUfi ALU US. 



Here they spend their entire lives, fc-eding upon berries in summer and subsisting largely 

 on tlic li'Mves offhcir favorite spruce and hemlock, during winter; so largelv, in fact, that 

 their feathers are redolent with the odor of the crushed leaves, wliile their llesli is quite 

 bitter. 



Audubon states that these birds were so tamo, they could be knocked down with sticks 

 and this same fiict is true at the present time, for I have known of instances where this 

 has been accomplished. The Spruce Grouse assemble in flocks through the autumn and 

 winter, but are at this time quite local in distribution, while they are more or less migra- 

 tory, moving from place to place; then as spring advances, bi-eak up into pairs. They 

 breed about the mi(hlle of May, placing the nest in some secluded locality. The young are 

 fully fledged by Septenilier, but do not acquire the size of their parents until late in the 

 following month. 



GENUS II. LAGOPUS. THE PTARMIGANS. 



Gen. Cm. Eilyes of posterior margin of sternum, not rounded. Costa/ proces.i, truncated. Tip of keel, not projected 

 well forward. Tarsus , feathered to the toes. No elongated feathers on neck. 



Memhoi-s of tlii.-' genus inhabit either mounfciinous or col J barren regions. They are white in winter, but become 

 darker in summer. Tliere are two .species found within our limits. 



LAGOPUS ALBUS. 

 White Ptarmigan. 

 Layopus alius AuD. , Syn.; 1839, 207. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Cii. Form, robust. Size, quite large. Sternum, stout and ((uite wide at posterior margin. Tail and wings, 

 long. Bill, sliort, equaling in length, mea-surcd from nostril to tip, to lieight at base. Sexes, quite similar in color. 



C01.0R. Adult in. winter. White throughimt, excepting tail which is black with tlie central featiiers and tips of all, 

 white. Shafts of pvimaries, dark-brown in the center. 



Adult in summer. Head and neck, yeilowisli-red. Back, black, barred ratlier finely with yellowisli-brown and cliest- 

 nut. otherwise as in winter. Bill, black, iris, brown, feet, horn color, in all stages. 



OHSERVATIONS. 



A winter bird before mc, taken at St. John's Lake. Snguenay, Canada, Iia.s ftjur or five narrow, black, transverse bar.s 

 b:ick of the eye. For difference between this and the following, see observations under that sp.'cios. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurement-; of specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 15-00; stretch, 24-.50; wing, 7'70; tail, 

 .5-50; l)ill, -Hfi; tai^us, 1-47. Longest specimen, 16-0(i; greatest extent of wing, 2.')-00; longest wing, 8-2.5; tail, 00; bill, 

 •88; tarsus, 1 55. ShortP.st specimen, 1400; smallest extent of wing, 24-00; shortest wing, 7-15; tail, 5 00; bill, 75; tarsus, 

 1-40. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



h'ests, placed on the ground. Tlu-y are not very elaborate structures, being composed of leaves, weed«, or other con- 

 venient material. 



/vf///.'!, from eight to lifteen in number, i-ather oval in form, reddish-buff in color, spotted and mottled, usually ([uite 

 thickly, witli large, conlluent bUitchcs of purplisli-brown. Dimension.s from 1-15x1-80 to 1-JOx 1 85. 



HABITS. 

 Among the first birds for which I inquired when I visited the Magdalen Islands, were 

 the White Ptarmigans, but found that they did not occur there, excepting as rare winter 



