ROCK PTARMIGAN. 
Lagopus rupestris. 
Lagopus rupestris reinhardi. 
Lagopus rupestris welch. 
Lagopus rupestris nelsoni. 
Lagopus rupestris atkensis. 
Lagopus rupestris townsend. 
Lagopus rupestris evermannt. 
Lagopus rupestris chamberlaint. 
Lagopus rupestris kelloge. 
Lagopus rupestris dixont. 
The bill of the rock ptarmigan is much more slender 
than that of the willow ptarmigan, and the bird is 
somewhat smaller, measuring from 13 to 1434 inches. 
In winter the bird is white, with black tail; but a line 
running from the eye to the bill is also black. It is 
said that the female does not always have this black 
spot covering the lores. 
In summer the male is grayish brown, the feathers 
being crossed with fine black lines, which tend to form 
irregular zigzag bars. The shoulder feathers, or scapu- 
lars, are chiefly black, which gives the effect of 
large black spots on the back. The quills of the wing 
—primaries and secondaries—and the outer tertiaries 
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