the Banks of the Lena River. 419 



5. Lagopus mutus (subsp. ?f. 



c? ad., $ ad. Bulun, 8. vii. 1903 ( $ no. 210, no. of 6 lost) , 

 4 pulli, belonging to ? no. 210. ? ad.: " Bill black, 

 small red spot above eye, claws brownish." Nestlings : 

 " Upper mandible deep brown, lower bluish. Claws and 

 eyes brownish." The nestlings (of the size of Sparrows) 

 are brownish or huffy yellow below. Middle of crown foxy 

 rufous, surrounded by a blackish line. Blackish line from 

 base of bill towards crown. Sides of head buffy yellow, 

 with longitudinal black patches behind the eyes and ear- 

 coverts. First little feathers on back black with rusty yellow 

 marks and tipped with white. Wing-feathers blackish with 

 buff markings and edges. 



I am uncertain about the name of the Siberian Rock- 

 Ptarmigan. Mr. Grant contends that it ought to be called 

 "Lagopus rupestris," or as I should say Lagopus mutus 

 rupestrls, as even Mr. Grant pronounces it to be only a 

 " northern " form of L. mutus. The name rupestris, however, 

 is based on the Hudson Bay form. There are apparently 

 several forms in Arctic America alone, so that it is not at all 

 certain that the Siberian form is the same as that from 

 Arctic America. If it differs, it has apparently no name, 

 unless it is the same as the Commander Islands form, 

 i. e. ridgwayi of Stejneger. I have no material to settle 

 this question. 



[This species we found among the fragmentary stones in 

 very rough valley. My companion caught a nestling, and 

 his action caused the captive to call so loudly as to bring 

 its mother immediately. Then she flew away at once as 

 if wounded. Five newly hatched young were caught. 

 Being yellowish in colour they corresponded with the 

 lichen and rock environment. One thought to hide 

 itself by simply crouching and placing its head under a 

 stone. As it remained thus for more than ten minutes we 

 photographed it. The male kept quite out of sight. In 

 winter large numbers of this bird are netted and sold for 

 the equivalent of a penny farthing ; in Yakutsk for a 

 penny halfpenny.] 



