172 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 
the air, with quick wing strokes and descending with 
stiffened wings, with the tips curved downward. 
While ascending they uttered a series of notes which 
may be repeated by the syllables ku-ku-ku-ku, which 
is changed as the bird descends to a hard rolling 
kr-r-r-r-r, in a very deep, guttural tone, ending as 
the bird reaches the ground. Frequently a pair would 
fly at each other full tilt and a few feathers would be 
knocked out, the weaker bird quickly taking flight 
again, while the victor rises as just described and 
utters his loud note of defiance and victory. On an- 
other occasion when the birds are more evenly 
matched they fight fiercely until the ground is strewn 
with feathers. 
“On May 24th almost all these birds are paired, but 
some did not complete their nuptials until the first 
few days in June. This grouse takes but a single mate 
in northern Alaska, and I am informed by the natives 
of Unalaska that the same is the case with the rock 
grouse found on the Aleutian Islands, nor have I ever 
known of the ptarmigan assembling in numbers about 
any special meeting place to carry on their love affairs; 
they scatter about, as previously mentioned, being seen 
singly here and there on prominent knolls over the 
flat country. Early in June, rarely so early as the 
last of May, the first eggs are laid; by June 20th and 
25th the downy young are usually out, and when ap- 
proached the female crouches close to the ground 
among her brood. When she sees it is impossible to 
escape notice she rolls and tumbles away as though 
