068 ~ BRITISH COLUMBIA SUPPLEMENT. 
on the Barren Grounds; south irregularly in winter but not reaching northern border 
United States. 
Occurrence in British Columbia.—Mr. Samuel N. Rhoads in his reconnoissance in the 
summer of 1892 reported the Rock Ptarmigan as nan, in the Cascades and also upon 
the summits of the Rockies along the line of the Canadian Pacific Railway but a very careful 
search of the mountains in the section referred to has failed to disclose any trace of the 
bird in the southern portion of our Province and I am convinced that Mr, Rhoads must have 
accepted hearsay testimony relative to the White-tailed Ptarmigan (1, leucures) which, of 
course, is abundant in this region. The Rock Ptarmigan does occur commonly in Atlin and 
as far south as the Icha Mountains in northern Chilcotin. Specimens taken in the last named 
locality by Mr. F. Kermode seem unusually small and dark-colored. 
General Range.—Northern Asia, Arctic America, Greenland, Iceland; breeding — 
B. C. No. 13. 
WHITE-BELLIED BRANT. 
A. O. U. No. 173. Branta bernicla glaucogastra (Brehm.). 
Description.—Similar to B. nigricans (q. v. p. 835) but lighter in coloration, breast light 
ashy-gray in abrupt contrast with black of jugulum, fading on lower belly into white of 
crissum, shading on sides to darker; patch of white streaks on side of upper neck reduced 
and not meeting fellow in front. Size of B. nigricans. 
General Range.—Europe and northern North America; in the latter chiefly along the 
eastern Arctic and north Atlantic coasts, but south in winter irregularly to north Pacific 
and on inland waters of northern United States. 
Occurrence in British Columbia.—On the 13th of December, 1903, I noticed a bunch 
of six Brant that kept apart from the large numbers of Black Brant in Comox harbor, V. I. 
After a bit of hard work I managed to kill one which proved to be an adult female of the 
Atlantic species. The others were undoubtedly an adult male and four young of the same 
species, as they all looked very light-colored. The specimen was in every way typical B. b. 
glaucogastra, with interrupted collar and black of breast sharply defined against the pale 
gray lower surface. I have since found the Eastern Brant a not uncommon migrant on the 
Pacific Coast and have taken a number of specimens. The birds usually keep to themselves 
in small companies and only once have I killed both species out of the same flock. In an 
average season probably eight per cent of the Brant which came as far south as Comox Bay 
are of this lighter sort. There seems to be no tendency towards intergradation unless a 
single male with neck-patches united in front might be so regarded. 
B. C. No. 14. 
HORNED PUFFIN. 
A. O. U. No. 14. Fratercula corniculata (Naum.). 
Description.—Adult in breeding plumage: Crown dull grayish black, narrowing to 
point on extreme forehead; remaining upperparts glossy blue-black, connecting with broad 
collar of sooty black; sides of head and remaining underparts white; bill much compressed, 
nearly as deep as long, vermilion; rosette at angle of mouth orange; an upright horny 
appendage projecting from upper eye-lid and a similar one extending horizontally backward 
from lower lid bluish gray; eye-lids red; irides brown; feet orange with vermilion-tinted 
webs, /n winter basal portions of bill deciduous in seven plates and coloration of head and 
feet duller but relation of black and white in plumage unchanged. Length 14.50; wing 7.25; 
tail 2.75; bill 2.00, depth at base 1.80; tarsus 1.10. : 
Nesting.—Single roughened white egg deposited in crevice of rock or at end of burrow 
in bank. Av. size, 2.75 X 1.75. 
General Range.—Breeding on coasts and islands of the North Pacific and adjacent 
polar seas; south in winter to the Kuriles and, rarely, to the Queen Charlotte Islands. 
rene bag in British Columbia.—Queen Charlotte Islands, as above. Specimens taken 
at Massett. 
