ROCK PTARMIGAN. 177 



usually placed on an open common, sometinies near the 

 banks of a small stream. They were more early in their 

 breeding than the albiis, as young Ptarmigans of a goodly 

 size are mentioned as having been seen June 30. The 

 eggs ranged from four to eight in number. 



The female sits very close, and rather than leave will 

 sometimes suifer herself to be taken by the hand. In one 

 instance when a nest was approached, the female crouched 

 as much as possible, in the hope that she might not be no- 

 ticed, which would have happened had not one of the 

 party observed her eye. Her summer plumage was almost 

 exactly of the same color with the soil, and hardly distin- 

 guishable from it. The man was within three feet, and, 

 making a swoop, caught her on the nest. 



Excepting in 1862, Mr. Mac Farlane did not meet with 

 any of this species west of the Swan Elver, on his various 

 journeys to Franklin Bay. Every season, almost immedi- 

 ately on leaving the woods fi*inging Swan Kiver, birds 

 began to be seen as far as and all along the Arctic coast. 

 Although constantly found feeding in large numbers on 

 the Barrens, it was always difficult to find their nests. 

 They were most numerous between Horton River and 

 Franklin Bay, and were frequently seen standing singly, or 

 feeding on the ground, or an occasional pair might be 

 seen, but it was seldom any number were observed in 

 company. 



Mr. Dall states that this species was not uncommon in 

 the Romanzoff Mountains, northwest of Fort Yukon, but 

 did not know of its being found farther south or west. It 

 was obtained by S. Weston at Fort Yukon, and among the 

 mountains by Mr. McDougal. 



The eggs of this species closely resemble those of L. 

 albiis, but are somewhat smaller in size. They measure 

 1.63 inches in length by 1.18 in breadth, varying slightlj- 

 in size. Their ground is a deep reddish cream-color, nearly 

 covered by large blotches of a reddish chestnut, giving a 

 beautifully variegated effect to the whole. — Baird, Brewer 

 and RldgiiKiy. 

 23 



