180 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 
The form of willow ptarmigan, known as Allen’s 
ptarmigan, was described from Newfoundland by Dr. 
Stejneger nearly twenty-five years ago. The differ- 
ences between it and the bird of the mainland are 
trifling, being chiefly confined to the color of the shafts 
of primaries and secondaries, which are black. This 
is still a common bird of Newfoundland, where it is 
often called “partridge” by the settlers, and where, in 
more remote districts, it still offers very good shooting, 
though nowhere nearly so abundant as formerly. It 
lives on the barrens, feeding on seeds and berries, 
and in winter on the buds of alders, willows and 
birches. It breeds on the ground among the spruces. 
Perhaps no writer has lived longer in the region in- 
habited by the willow grouse than Napoleon A. 
Comeau, who, in his recent work, “Life and Sport 
on the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence,” 
gives some interesting notes on the species. He says: 
“Of all the above species [of grouse], the willow 
ptarmigan is by far the most abundant, and of con- 
siderable value as an article of food during its years 
of passage. It is an irregular migrant, in this wise, 
that it does not come regularly every season, like most 
other birds, and sometimes we may be three or four 
years without seeing any. I have gathered consider- 
able data on this subject, and I find that about every 
tenth year is one of great abundance. Here are some 
of the dates: 1863 and 1864, extremely abundant; 
1867, disappeared this year; 1871, a few were seen this 
year, but none between 1867 and 1871; 1872 and 1873, 
