170 FRANK SCHLEY'S PARTRIDGE AND PHEASANT SHOOTING. 



WILLOW GEOUSE; WHITE PTAEMIGAN. 



Lagopus albus. — Aud. 



pABITS. — Eicbardson regarded this species as an in- 

 Mpijii habitant of the fur countries from the 50th to the 

 ^^^ 70tb parallel of latitude, being partially migratory 

 %^ within those limits. It was found to breed among 

 the valleys of the Eock}^ Mountains, on the barren grounds, 

 and along the Arctic coasts. On the a]~)])roach of winter it 

 collects in flocks, and retires southward as the severity of 

 the weather increases. They I'emain, however, in consid- 

 erable numbers as far north as latitude 67°, even in the 

 coldest winters. It was found to be tolerably abundant at 

 the 65th parallel all the year, assembling in vast flocks on 

 the shores of Hudson Bay in the winter time. Mr. 

 Hutchins states that ten thousand of these birds have been 

 captured in a single season at Severn Eiver. Eicbardson 

 adds that in 1819 these birds made their first appearance 

 at Cumberland House, latitude 54°, in the second week of 

 November, and that they returned to the northward again 

 before the beginning of spring. In the winter they are 

 said to shelter themselves in thickets of willows and dwarf 

 l)irehes, on the banks of mai'shes and lakes, the buds of the 

 smaller shrubs being the principal part of their food at 

 that season. Denuded sandy spots were their favorite re- 

 sorts in the day time, but thej' passed their nights in holes 

 in the snow. When pursued by sportsmen or birds of 

 ])re3', they often terminate their flight by hastily diving 

 into the loose snow, working their way beneath its sur- 

 face with considerable celerjty. In thick, windy, or snowy 

 weather they were very shy, perching on the taller wil- 

 lows, where it required a sharp eye to distinguish them 



