THE WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN. 503 
the Cascade Pass, I was working lazily over a sharp ridge, half covered with 
snow, when I heard a subdued croaking, or crooning, like a Clark Nutcracker 
note done small. Glancing ahead I saw a cock Ptarmigan standing breast- 
deep in heather and regarding me with a watchful eye. As I approached he 
ran out upon the 
snow-bank, cackling 
apprehensively, but 
he circled about so 
as to return to the 
edge of the timbered 
island which he had 
just quitted. Here 
a moment later I put 
up the female. She 
stepped out from the 
heather upon the 
snow with a dis- 
turbed cluck, but 
proved to be much 
more approachable 
than the male. I fol- 
Taken in Chelan County. Photo by the Author. 
lowed her about pa- “THE COCK SUBMITTED TO ONE SNAP.” 
tiently as she skirted 
the edge of the island, now going out upon the snow if pressed too closely, 
now returning to the heather if I retreated. In this way I secured three good 
photographs at six feet. The cock submitted to one snap at twenty-five feet, 
but he was too nervous to 
stand long under fire; and he 
retreated across the snow by 
little runs until he had 
reached a heather patch a 
dozen rods further up. 
Here he lingered in a fever 
of unrest, torn by jealousy 
and fear, as I ogled his mod- 
est mate for an hour or 
more. Now and then he 
gave vent to his anxieties by 
a series of raucous little 
screams. But the hen made 
Taken on Mt. Rainier. Photo by W. L. Romans. no reply, which under the 
A PATIENT SUBJECT. circumstances I took to be 
