240 The Willow Ptarmigan 



the generous feathering of the feet and toes, and probably serve as "ice- 

 creepers," of great use in walking or wallowing in crusty snow. But the 

 extraordinary thing is that in summer the old toe-nails drop off, replaced 

 by new ones growing from the quick ! 



In winter plumage, one set of feathers fails' to conform to the general 

 whiteness the tail-feathers. When the bird is at rest, the very long upper 

 and under tail-coverts almost completely conceal these black tail-feathers, 

 which are then closed together in narrow ranks. But, when the bird 

 takes flight, the tail is widely spread, and a black "directive" marking 

 flashes forth against the white background. In summer, the wing-feathers, 

 persisting from the winter dress, are unnoticed in the 



Markings ^ r ^ a * rest ' ^ ut ' as ^ ie wm S s are spread in flight, 



they furnish a conspicuous "directive" pattern against 

 the dark landscape, the black tail-feathers being then ineffective. 



With all its marvelous fitness, the ptarmigan has much to contend 

 with the arctic fox, the weasel, the Rough-legged Hawk, the Gyrfalcon 

 and the human hunter. 



Looked at from the utilitarian standpoint, it affords, on the far north- 

 ern frontier, an even more important game-resource than did the eastern 

 gallinaceous birds in the early days of the settlement of the States. The 

 weight of a Willow Ptarmigan is one and one-half pounds, so that each 

 bird affords as much food as four or five Bob-whites. 



In most of the vast North conditions yet remain primitive, so far as 

 wild game is concerned. But, around the mining settlements in Alaska and 

 Yukon Territory, the larger animals have been much reduced in numbers, 

 or entirely used up, and many natural enemies of these birds have boen 

 reduced to small numbers. This doubtless has served to offset the effect 

 of firearms, so that only in the near neighborhood of settlements has there 

 been a notable decrease in the number of Willow Ptarmigans. 



Classification and Distribution 



The Willow Ptarmigan belongs to the Order Gallincc, the Family Tetraonida, 

 and the Genus Lagopus. Its scientific name is Lagopus lagopus lagopus. It in- 

 habits the Arctic Zone generally, residing and breeding from the polar islands south 

 to the Aleutian Islands, central Alberta (along the mountains), central Mackenzie, 

 all around Hudson Bay and thence east to southern Labrador. In winter it ranges 

 southward to the Saskatchewan River and Quebec. Two subspecies are recog- 

 nized Allen's Ptarmigan (L.I. alleni) of Newfoundland, and Alexander's Ptarmi- 

 gan (L.I. alexandra:) of the islands of southern Alaska west to the Shumagin group. 



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