////. ii //./.' MI >,i;i UK 



|.. m . - thai lie on th groin . md on th< huds of the willow md Ian-he I I.-- 

 neM iiimiU'r twelx ..... tliiri.t-n usually. 



'I'll.- Columbian >haip tail i- found iii-'iv t<. the southward. The plains and prairie* of 

 \\isi-oiisinaiid Illinois alNiiiiul with thfin. This bird is foiiii'l inndi farther west than the 

 prairie rhick.-n, tin- latter lieing conl'med \,, I lie region east of the Mississippi valley. A slrik 

 im: |itiMiliarii\ is J^MI in tin- Iwo mid. II.- tail ffath-i> Ix-inir two inrlu-s lonyr than tin- ot 



Tin \Vni" (Juorsi l."/-ini* albtt*), or \Vinn I'l \I:MH. \s, x> rall.-<l. inhadits id.- 

 fur rountrit-s as far north a> tin- s4-v.-ntii'tli |irall-l. lt<-t\\.-'ii that t the fiftieth it i* |Mirtially 

 mignitory. It is known to biwd 111110111; tht> UiM-ky Mountains <>i\ tin* Uirn-n ^nnimls, and 

 tin- Aivtic coasts. It asHemhlm in vast flot-kH during tin- winti-r. on the shores of 





WI1.I.UW OROU8 



A ! . ) 



Hudson's Bay. Many thousands of tlies- birds an- rjijitnr>d at S-v>rn Rivpr. They seek the 

 willows in winter, fi-wlin^ on tin- buds. At niirht. th.-y jN-ni-tnit.- tin- snow and lit- concealed, 

 and do the same when pursued by birds of jui-y. working ih.-ir way into a mam of snow with 

 considembli' facility. 



This sjKvi.'s is an int-r-stint; example of the adaptation of pliimap' to surroundings a a 

 protective means. The w inter jiluma^e is iur- white, thus IM-JHK as well protected aa is possible 

 to any object exposed in ojien j-lains r<iven-<l with snow. As the spring -omes, and the bare 

 rocks begin toappc-.ir. th.- plumage changes gradually. lH>th by the fading of some coloration 

 and by the moultinir of feath.-i-s. until tin- red pluma-.- is fully assumed, closely agreeing with 

 the reddish and gra\ .-.,!,, i> of the r.H-ks. The males an- sjtid to assume this darker plumage 

 -oner than the females. The former mount some rooky eminences, and call upon their mates, 

 who are yet buried in the snow, and have not yet changed their colors. These birds are 

 fond of the twilight, and are more frequently seen at such times. An unusual attachment is 

 said to be exhibited by the male of this species for its mate, especially during the breeding 

 time. 



