TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 361 
Bay; abundant in valleys to southward where white birch is plentiful. 
Low states that it is common at Mistassini and not rare at the mouth 
of Hamilton River, but that it is not found on the upper Hamilton 
River. 
Lagopus lagopus (Linn.). 
WitiLow PrarMican; “ Browse PartripGe”’; “Grousn” (Cartwright). 
It is often difficult to separate in the records of travelers and even 
in those of ornithologists the three species of ptarmigan found in 
Labrador. In general the Willow Ptarmigan is an abundant resident 
throughout Labrador south of the tree line. The Rock Ptarmigan 
is found on the barren treeless areas of the Arctic zone especially from 
Hamilton Inlet northward, while Reinhardt’s Ptarmigan is found in 
the extreme northern parts of Labrador. 
The Willow Ptarmigan breeds in the interior of Labrador in the 
forested region and migrates in great flocks to the barren seacoast 
in winter. Cartwright’s observations on this bird, which he calls 
““Grouse,” are so acute and interesting that we quote some of them 
in full here. He entered in his journal at Cape Charles on September 
28, 1773, the following: ‘This morning I took a walk upon the hills 
to the westward, and killed seven brace of grouse. ‘These birds are 
exactly the same with those of the same name in Europe, save only in 
the colour of their feathers, which are speckled with white in summer, 
and perfectly white in winter, (fourteen black ones in the tail excepted 
which always remain the same). When I was in England, Mr. Banks, 
(now Sir Joseph Banks) Doctor Solander and several other naturalists 
having enquired of me respecting the manner of these birds changing 
colour, I took particular notice of those I killed, and can aver, for a 
fact, that they get at this time of the year a very large addition of 
feathers, all of which are white; and that the coloured feathers at the 
same time change to white. In spring most of the white feathers 
drop off, and are succeeded by coloured ones; or, I rather believe, all 
the white ones drop off, and that they get an entire new set. At the 
two seasons they change very differently; in the spring, beginning 
at the neck, and spreading from thence; now, they begin on the belly, 
and end at the neck. There are also ptharmagans in this country, 
which are in all respects, the same as those I have killed on some high 
