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BIRD-LIFE IN WESTERN CANADA 



ber. This plumage appears only on the exposed portions of 

 the bird 's body and is followed in October by the pure white 

 winter dress. The case is one of the best arguments to be 

 found among birds for the value of, and necessity for pro- 

 tective coloring. 



A Pair of Ptarmigan 



I had never seen a living Ptarmigan and an unsuccess- 

 ful search for them in Colorado had sharpened my already 

 keen desire to meet this strongly characterized bird on its 

 native heather. But the following morning, anticipations 

 of finding Ptarmigan were by no means my only cause for 

 exhilaration as I passed easily over the crisp snow crust, 

 formed during the night. There was the inspiring, elemen- 

 tal grandeur of the mountains, the grateful sense of utter 

 isolation, and the primitive abundance of certain forms of 

 life. Dozens of great hoary marmots, surprised at their 

 root-digging, galloped back to their caves, scuttling 



