488 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



the ground ; but shortly you hear the mother calling at a distance, and 

 you may rest assured that her covey will soon be with her. 



Every sportsman will tell you that the quail has the power of with- 

 holding her scent. There is certainly something unexplained in the mat- 

 ter, for often the dog with the strongest nose is utterly unaware of the 

 proximity of quail. It is, however, a question whether it really withholds 

 the scent of her own volition, or whether the state of the atmosphere has 

 something to do with it. The question certainly needs farther study 

 before a decision can be reached. 



The grouse occur in both hemispheres, but are more 

 numerous with us than they are in the Old World. First 

 in order come the ptarmigan, which, according to Dr. 

 Coues, may be defined as grouse, which turn white in 

 winter. They also have the legs heavily feathered. But 

 two forms need to be mentioned, — the white-tailed ptar- 

 migan of the Rocky Mountains, as far 

 south as 37° N., and the willow-ptar- 

 migan, which lives in the boreal regions 

 of both hemispheres, descending occa- 

 sionally into northern Maine and New 

 York. 



This change of color, which is occa- 

 sioned by molting, is clearly of great 

 value to these birds, as by it they are 

 more readily enabled to conceal them- 

 selves from their enemies. In the 

 summer their dark plumage has the 

 same general color as the gray and 

 lichen-covered rocks which they fre- 

 quent, while the white winter plumage renders it difficult to see one of 

 these birds in the midst of the snow. How close this resemblance is can 

 be seen by a quotation from Mr. Trippe regarding the white-tailed species : 

 " Sometimes, on seeing one alight on a certain spot, and withdrawing my 

 eyes from it a moment, I have been unable to find it again, although I 

 knew the exact spot where it sat, until a movement on the part of the 

 bird betrayed its position." The ptarmigan are very tame, but will 

 defend their nests and young during the breeding season by flying in the 

 face of any intruder. They make their nests — mere depressions in the 

 ground, lined with a few leaves, straws, and feathers — in rocky regions ; 

 and there raise their brood of from four to eight young. 



The sharp-tail or pin-tail grouse has much the same range as the 



Fiu. 411. — White-tailed ptarmigan (Larjnpvs leu~ 

 earns), the upper figure representing the sum- 

 mer, the lower the winter plumage. 



