178 BIRDS OF ONTARIO 



Ste. Marie. It resembles the preceding in general appearance, but 

 is rather less in size, and in winter plumage the black band through 

 the eye of the male serves at once to decide his identity. 



The Ptarmigans have a most interesting history. Their small 

 feet, covered densely with hair-like feathers, the wonderful change 

 which their plumage undergoes to match their surroundings, and 

 their life amid the rigors of an Arctic winter, are matters which 

 invest the story of the group with peculiar charm. 



The Rock is a more northern species than the Willow Ptarmigan. 

 It is not mentioned among the birds of Manitoba, so we presume 

 that it has not been seen there. Dr. Bell has observed it migrating 

 at Hudson's Bay, and Mr. Macfarlane found it breeding in the 

 vicinity of Fort Anderson. Mr. Nelson, speaking of its presence in 

 Alaska, says : " This beautiful Ptarmigan is a common resident of 

 the Alaskan mainland, from Behring Straits to the British border 

 on the east, including the entire north and south extent of the main- 

 land. Unlike the common White Ptarmigan, it frequents the sum- 

 mits of the low hills and mountains during the summer season, where 

 it remains until the severe weather of early winter forces it down to 

 the lower elevations and under the shelter of the bush-bordered 

 i-a vines and furrows marking the slopes. During the entire year these 

 birds are resident north at least to Behring Straits, as I obtained 

 specimens from that vicinity on one of my winter expeditions." 



Genus TYMPANUCHUS Glooer. 

 TYMPANUCHUS AMERICANUS (Reich.). 



132. Prairie Hen. (305) 



Above, variegated with black, brown, tawnj' or ochrey and white, the latter 

 especially on the wings ; below, pretty regularly barred with dark brown, white 

 and tawny; throat tawny, a little speckled, or not; vent and crissum, mostly 

 white ; quills, fuscous, with white spots on the outer web ; tail, fuscous, with 

 naiTow or imperfect white or tawny bars and tips ; sexes, alike in coloi', but the 

 female smaller with shorter neck tufts. Length, 16-18; wing, 8-9; tail, about 5. 



Hab. — Prairies of the Mississippi Valley, south to Louisiana, east to Ken- 

 tucky and Indiana. 



Nest, on the ground, in a tuft of grass or small shrub. 



Eggs, eight to twelve, pale greenish-gi-ay, sometimes minutely dotted with 

 brown. 



