Trail and Camp-Fire 



edge of the barren grounds, or to latitude 57 

 degrees. On Hamilton Inlet they are very 

 numerous in the late autumn, when they ap- 

 pear to migrate inland, and are then so tame 

 that they are snared with a loop on the end of 

 a stick, and when shot the charge consists of 

 four or five grains of BB shot. 



The range of the sharp-tailed grouse is con- 

 fined to the shores and islands of James Bay, 

 where it is known as the "pheasant/' In 1887 

 I obtained a clutch of eggs of this bird at the 

 mouth of the East Main River, and in 1892 

 shot a number of young birds near that place, 

 while last year I procured skins of adults along 

 the east coast to beyond Fort George in lati- 

 tude 54 degrees. The inhabitants informed 

 me that it was quite common along the coast, 

 where it feeds on the different small fruits 

 found there in abundance. 



The willow ptarmigan breeds in astonishing 

 numbers throughout the barren and semi-bar- 

 ren lands, and is found abundantly about the 

 willow-covered banks of the northern lakes and 

 streams. Being a free flyer it affords 

 much better sport than the other grouse, 

 which too often cannot be induced to fly when 



once treed. The willow ptarmigan pass south- 



42 



