WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN. 171 
gregated together, but even in these localities I am not 
aware that these flocks keep unbroken during the winter. 
It would appear to be more an incident of the breeding 
season. The males are very pugnacious, and during the 
period of courtship desperate battles frequently occur 
when two cocks happen to meet. In winter, when pur- 
sued, this Ptarmigan will dive into the snow, and doubt- 
less, like the Ruffed Grouse and other gallinaceous 
birds, it may be accustomed to enter a snow bank to 
sleep and obtain protection in that way both from the 
severity of the weather and from whatever enemies may 
be prowling amid the lofty heights among which it 
dwells. 
LFAGOPUS LECCORUGS. 
Geographical Distribution.—High range of mountains from 
Liard River, British America, and Western United States to 
New Mexico. 
Adult Male.—Upper parts, golden gray or grayish buff, irreg- 
ularly barred and vermiculated with black; top of head, black, 
with tips of feathers light brown; lores, black; rest of head and 
neck, finely barred with black and buff, and feathers tipped with 
white; cheeks, chin, and throat, white, spotted with black, only 
sparsely on the throat; breast, barred with black and umber- 
brown; flanks, similar, but black bars finer and very irregular, 
and black vermiculations; rest of lower parts, white; legs and 
toes covered with white feathers; tail, white; bill, black. Total 
length, about 124 inches; wing, 64. 
Adult Female.—Resembles the male, but with perhaps more 
buff. There seems to be, however, very little difference in the 
coloring of the sexes. Dimensions, about the same as those of 
the male. 
