224 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
and often descends to the margins of the northern settlements, 
but the rock ptarmigan is much less common. 
The breeding range of this species extends across Labrador and 
the region west of Hudson bay and stretches northward into the 
Barren Grounds and southward into the spruce forest along their 
southern border. In Alaska it is also abundant but is restricted 
in summer to the barren sea-coast or on the open grounds of the 
interior. Its winter range is less defined as it is found much further 
south in some winters than in others. Mr. Brewster found this 
species with young birds at Fox bay, Anticosti, in summer, so that 
the southern breeding limit may extend much further south than 
is indicated above. 
A transient visitor about Montreal in winter, but common in 
eastern Quebec north of the St. Lawrence. We have no account 
of its occurrence in New Brunswick or Nova Scotia. A casual 
visitor on the Gatineau, north of the city of Ottawa, and at the 
Sault Ste. Marie, Lake Superior. Mr. Fleming records the taking 
of a specimen near Whitby, Ont., May 15th, 1897. An unusual 
southern migration took place in the winter of 1896-97 when Mr. 
Fleming recorded willow ptarmigan from as far south as Lake Nipis- 
sing. The points cited above show that it may be looked for in 
winter in all the northern forests. Its winter range westward of 
Lake Superior to Lake Winnipeg is not well defined but Mr. Seton 
cites many instances of its occurrence in northern Manitoba and 
west and east of Lake Winnipeg. Thence westward its winter 
range seems to be confined to spruce woods, seldom coming south of 
lat 53° in the Saskatchewan country. Nelson and Turner unite in 
stating that it is a plentiful resident on the entire mainland coast 
of Alaska in summer; in winter it retires to the forest. Figgins 
records it from Homer, the Kenai mountains and Popof island, 
Alaska, Anderson from Mueller bay and Grinnell from Kadiak 
island. The only notices of its occurrence in British Columbia are at 
Dease lake and Atlin in the northern part of the province. 
BREEDING NoTEes.—Mr. A. P. Low has taken many eggs in Labra- 
dor and says that the set ranges from nine to twelve. There is 
nothing peculiar about the nest that would separate it from that 
of the ruffed grouse. It was always found in a sheltered place, 
however. First observed in Labrador on June 23rd a short distance 
