172 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



the air, with quick wing strokes and descending with 

 stiffened wings, with the tips curved downward. 

 While ascending they uttered a series of notes which 

 may be repeated by the syllables ki^-ku-ku-ku f which 

 is changed as the bird descends to a hard rolling 

 kr-r-r-r-r, in a very deep, guttural tone, ending as 

 the bird reaches the ground. Frequently a pair would 

 fly at each other full tilt and a few feathers would be 

 knocked out, the weaker bird quickly taking flight 

 again, while the victor rises as just described and 

 utters his loud note of defiance and victory. On an- 

 other occasion when the birds are more evenly 

 matched they fight fiercely until the ground is strewn 

 with feathers. 



"On May 24th almost all these birds are paired, but 

 some did not complete their nuptials until the first 

 few days in June. This grouse takes but a single mate 

 in northern Alaska, and I am informed by the natives 

 of Unalaska that the same is the case with the rock 

 grouse found on the Aleutian Islands, nor have I ever 

 known of the ptarmigan assembling in numbers about 

 any special meeting place to carry on their love affairs ; 

 they scatter about, as previously mentioned, being seen 

 singly here and there on prominent knolls over the 

 flat country. Early in June, rarely so early as the 

 last of May, the first eggs are laid ; by June 2Oth and 

 25th the downy young are usually out, and when ap- 

 proached the female crouches close to the ground 

 among her brood. When she sees it is impossible to 

 escape notice she rolls and tumbles away as though 



