ALLEN'S PTARMIGAN. 



T 



HIS bird, which is an inhabitant of Ncwfoinulland, 

 has been separated from the Willow CIrouse as a sub- 

 species on what must be cousiclered as very slij^ht and in- 

 sufficient grounds. It is a very connuoii species in the 

 island, fre(|uentinj^ similar localities as does the Willow 

 (irouse on the continent of America, and in its economy 

 and habits in no way differs from that species. It is 

 called Partridg^e by some, and feeds on seeds and buds 

 and leaves of various trees and bushes; and great num- 

 bers of them are killed annually. It bears a very close 

 resemblance to the Willow Grouse, and ie(|uires more 

 than an expert to discover wherein it dififers; the chief 

 and about the only perceptible distinction claimed is that 

 the shafts of the secondaries and primaries are black in- 

 stead of white. The description given of the habits of 

 the Willow Grouse in the previous article will, in nearly 

 all particulars, answer perfectly well for the present bird. 

 From the specimens which I have examined at various 

 times during the past thirty years I fail to find any which 

 present characters that would enable the Newfoundland 

 bird to be distinguished from the Willow Grouse of other 

 localities. The describer of Allen's Ptarmigan estab- 

 lished the race upon the " shafts of both primaries and 

 secondaries black, and by having the wing feathers, even 

 some of the coverts marked and mottled with blackish." 

 These characters do not seem to be reliable, and there 

 are at present before me two males belonging to the 

 collection of the American Museum of Natural History, 



149 



