WELCH'S PTARMIGAN. 



'T^HIS may be called the Rock Ptarmigan of New- 

 foundland, and is a dark-grayish bird with a bluish 

 tinge to the plumage, which has been likened to the 

 color of the Sooty Grouse, and all the feathers are dotted 

 with blackish. It is very numerous in the rocky portions 

 of the island it inhabits, distributed among the moun- 

 tains in the interior, and is rather local, not going far 

 from the place in which it was reared. It may be con- 

 sidered the Alpine species of Newfoundland Ptarmigan, 

 not often met with below the line of spruce forest, except 

 when it descends in winter to feed on the buds of various 

 trees growing in the lowlands. It is sometimes called 

 the Mountain Partridge, and occasionally associates with 

 the Willow Grouse. Very little is known of its habits. 



LA GO PUS RUPESTRIS WELCH I. 



Geographical Distribution. — Mountains of Newfoundland. 



Adult Male in Siunmer. — Entire upper parts, and upper 

 tail-coverts, brownish gray, vermiculated and spotted with 

 black, many feathers having white tips, and some with white 

 bars near the tips; front, chin, upper part of throat, cheeks, 

 and back of neck, barred with black and white; top of head, 

 rufous, blotched with black; lores, black; tail, blackish brown, 

 lighter toward the edges of the webs; a number of feathers barred 

 with black and white on upper part of breast; on lower breast, 

 belly, and under tail-coverts, white, interspersed on the first 

 with numerous feathers colored like the breast ; thighs and 

 feathers of tarsi, white; on toes, yellowish white; wing-coverts, 

 like the back; bill and claws, horn color. Total length, 14 inches; 

 wing, ']\\ tail, 4I; tarsus, \\\ exposed culmen, \ inch. 



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