202 Wheeler, Spring Migration at Timber Line. LApril 



9. Lagopus lagopus lagopus. Willow Ptarmigan. — Dog-rib name 

 — Kainba. Winters throughout the timbered country between Edmonton 

 and Fort Enterprise. May 5. Abundant flocks reach Diri Ti in the 

 Barren Grounds. May 7. Concealed feathers on cocks' necks brown. 

 May 10. Cocks white with brown necks. Hens in full winter plumage. 

 Mating commences. May 22. P^'emales begin to change winter for summer 

 plumage. May 30. Both males and females mottled brown and white. 

 Almost in full summer plumage. 



10. Lagopus rupestris rupestris. Rock Ptarmigan. — Dog-rib 

 name — Kamba. Winters throughout the timbered country between 

 Edmonton and Fort Enterprise. May 3. First seen on the Barren 

 Grounds — near Diri Ti. May 5. Abundant flocks reach Diri Ti. May 

 7. Concealed feathers on cocks' necks black. May 10. Cocks white 

 with velvet black necks. Hens in full winter plumage. Mating com- 

 mences. May 22. Hens begin to change winter for summer plumage^ 

 Ova in oviducts three-quarters of an inch long. May 30. Both males 

 and females mottled black and white. Almost in full summer plumage. 

 The first color change in the cocks of both Rock and Willow Ptarmigan 

 appears to be an example of sexual and not of protective coloration. 

 Color changes occur in the cocks more than a week before they occur 

 in the hens. Color changes in the cocks occur simultaneously with 

 mating; they occur in the hens simultaneously with the disappearance of 

 the snow. The cocks which have partly changed color are much more 

 conspicuous than the hens which have not. 



1 1 . Lagopus leucurus leucurus . White-tailed Ptarmigan . — Dog- 

 rib name — Kamba. June 4. A male bird seen but not shot in the high 

 almost mountainous Barren Grounds west of Conghia Ti. He was in full 

 winter plumage, 



12. Colaptes auratus luteus. Flicker. — Seen near Fort Enter- 

 prise May 28. Common from the date when first seen. 



13. Otocoris alpestris hoyti. Shore-Lark. — May 26. Reached 

 Fort Enterprise. June 4. Seen on the Barren Grounds Northwest of 

 Conghia Ti. 



14. Euphagus carolinus. Rusty Blackbird. — Dog-rib name 

 Keauttesi. May 13. Reached Fort Enterprise. Not seen on the Barrens. 

 Song: a very sweet, metallic, silvery whistle. 



15. Loxia leucoptera. White-winged Crossbill. — April 14. 

 Reached the country just north of Aiejean Ti. The Indians said that 

 these birds do not winter in this country. 



16. Acanthis linaria linaria. Redpoll. — May 8. Reached Diri 

 Ti in the Barrens. 



17. Plectrophenax nivalis nivalis. Snowflake. — Dog-rib name — 

 Awzi tsching. Barren Ground thing. Winter abundantly at Edmonton 

 where they feed, like English Sparrows, on horse droppings. Jan. 30. 

 Tracks seen about dog droppings on the long portage between Slave River 

 and Slave Lake. These birds are rarely seen in the timbered country 



