464 NOIiTri AMERICAN BIRDS. 



color witli tlio soil, and liiirdly tlistinguislialtle from it. Tho man was within 

 tliHic lect, and, making a swooj), caught her on the nest. 



E.xcepting in 1X()2, Mr. MacFarlane did not meet with any of this species 

 west of the Swan Hiver, on his various journeys to Franklin J>ay. Every 

 sua.'^on, almost innnediately on leaving the woods fringing Swan JJiver, hirds 

 began to lie secni as I'ar as and all along tiie Arctic coast. Although con- 

 stantly f<mnd feeding in large numlters on tiie r»arrens, it was always dith- 

 cult to find their nests. They were most numerous between lloitou Eiver 

 and Franklin Uay, and were frc(iuently seen standing singly, or feeding on 

 the ground, or an occasional jtair might l)e seen, Init it was seldom any num- 

 ber were observed in company. 



Mr. Dall .states that this species was not unconnnon in the liomanzoff 

 ^Mountains, northwest of Fort Yukon, but did not know of its being found 

 farther south or wcist. It was obtained Ijy S. Weston at Fort Yukon, and 

 among the mountains by Mr. ^IcDougal. 



The eggs of this species closely resemble those of L. alhus, but are some- 

 what smaller in size. They measure 1.03 inches in length by 1.18 in 

 breadth, varying slightly in size. Their ground is a deep reddish cream- 

 color, nearly covered by large blotches of a reddish-chestnut, giving a beauti- 

 fully variegated effect to the whole. 



Lagopus leucurus, Swainsox & Eiciiardson. 



WHITE-TAILED FTABMIGAN. 



Tctrao (Lagopm) Icucuni.i, Sw. & IJirii. F. 15. A. 1, 1831, 356, pi. Ixiii. — Xutt. Man. 

 Orii. II, 1834, G12. —In. I, (2.1 (m1.,) ISiO, 8-J(i. — DoidL. Tr. Liiin. Soo. XVI, 140. 

 Tctrao kucurus, AUD. Om. Hiog. V, 1839, 200, pi. cecc.vviii. Lagopus leucurus, \v\>. 

 Syn. 1839. — In. B. Am. V, 1842, 125, pi. oecii. — On.VY, Gen. III. — B.viisi), Bmls 

 N. Am. 1858, 637. —Box. Coiiip. List. 441, No. 291. — Kli.iot, P. A. X. S. 1804. — 

 111. Moiicg. Tctraoii. pi. — Gkav, Cat. Biit. Mtis. V, 1867, 93. — Coopek, Orn. Cal. I, 

 1870, 542. 



Si>. Cii.vR. yfale? winter (■i,'uS, Fort TIalkctt, Liard'.s River). Entirely pure white, 

 inclu(liii,!r the tail. Winj.', 0.70; tar.-us, 1.00; iniiUl'.e toe, 1.00; bill, .T) hy .29. 



Summer. Win!:.«, tail, abilomen, eri.ssum, and legs immaculate snowy-white. Ground- 

 color of re.-it of plumajre prayish-wliite on head and neek and ashy-bull on other portions, 

 finely and rather ,«par.sely spiinkled with l)laek, — more in form of ra<.'ged tninsver.se 

 bars anteriorly and on side.«. (?. 10,002, Camp Skagitt, N. W. B., August 10; C. B. 

 Keniierly.) 



TLvn. Al]iine .summits of tlie Western mountain.s, from lat. .'i9° in the Rocky Moun- 

 tains north into British America, and we.st to the Cascades of Oregon, Wa.shington, 

 and British Columljia. 



H.MMTs. This species was first procured by Mr. Drummond, and described 

 by Swainson in the " Fauna Borealis." Five specimens were taken on the 

 Kocky Mountains in the olth parallel, and another, by Mr. MacPherson, on 

 the same chain, nine degrees farther north. They were said to have all the 



