ROCK PTARMIGAN. 



A LONG the Alaskan coast, from the peninsula and 

 ^^ Behring Sea, throughout the mountains of the in- 

 terior, and across the Arctic regions of North America 

 to Hudson Bay, southern Labrador, and the island of 

 Greenland, the Rock Ptarmigan is a constant resident; 

 frequenting low hills, or higher ranges in the summer, 

 going down to the valleys during winter for shelter from 

 the severity of the Northern climate at that season. It 

 is also found on the Barren Grounds (the height of land 

 lying between the Anderson and Wilmot Horton or Mac- 

 Farlane rivers and thence inward to the western sea-bank 

 of Franklin Bay), but is not so plentiful there as the 

 Willow Grouse. It is more a bird of the mountains, and 

 prefers to remain on elevated summits throughout the 

 summer and amid precipitous slopes and rugged cliffs. 

 It is a smaller bird than the Willow Grouse, and can 

 always be distinguished from it by the black stripe run- 

 ning from the bill to the eye, which is present in both 

 the summer and winter dress of the males. 



In Alaska nesting begins in April, but in the eastern 

 part of the birds' range not until the middle of June, 

 sometimes even later. The nest resembles that of the 

 Willow Ptarmigan, but the number of eggs is less, about 

 seven, though occasionally many more are found in one 

 nest — whether the product of one hen or not it would be 

 difficult to say, but the probabilities are in favor of such 

 a supposition, as I am not aware of any instance w^here 

 two hens have been observed to occupy the same nest. 



