ORNITHOLOGY OF THE BRITISH POLAR EXPEDITION. 127 
bird: on October 10th, 1875, I shot one in Discovery Bay, and 
as late as the 12th a flock of five was seen flying southwards. 
The following is a description of the specimen, a male, of 
October 10th:—All the plumage white, with the exception of 
under tail-feathers; a patch around either eye, which extended 
from base of bill; and the shafts of the first five or six wing- 
feathers, which were black. There was also one brown and white 
feather in each rank of secondary wing-feathers. A patch of 
orange-coloured skin was exposed above the black feathers over 
the eye. ‘The crop contained a considerable quantity of willow- 
tops (Salix arctica), withered flowers and capsules of Pedicularis 
hirsuta, shoots of Stellaria longipes, and leaves of Dryas integri- 
folia. Willow-tops predominated, and the examination of a 
number of specimens led me to conclude that that is their 
favourite, and often their exclusive food. In 1876, on the 5th 
March, Hans saw fresh Ptarmigan-tracks, and on the 380th 
individuals were seen. On the 7th April a male was_ shot 
in snowy white plumage, save two mottled breast-feathers. 
On the 10th April I took the following description of a female 
I shot in Discovery Bay :—Snowy white with the exception of a 
black patch on either side reaching from upper mandible under 
the eye to half-an-inch behind it. Reddish orange streak above 
the eye conspicuous. Tail-feathers fourteen, black, with white 
tips which disappeared in the outer ones; these were 
surrounded by six white tail-coverts equal, or nearly so, in 
length; the black feathers show conspicuously in a flight over 
the snow, rendering the bird, which would otherwise be very 
difficult to distinguish, an easy mark for the gunner. The third 
and fourth wing-feathers are the two longest, the third the 
longest of all. Two mottled feathers appeared on the breast. 
The nails black and the hair-like toe-feathers reaching nearly to 
their extremity. Bull black and broad. Shafts of first six wing- 
feathers brown. Weight, 1 tb. 70z. Total length, 15 inches; 
of tail, 5in.; of wing, 8°5 in.; of bill to rictus, 1 in.; of tarsus, 
13in.; of middle toe, 11 in.; of middle nail, *7 in.; of bill, 
above, 7 in. On the 17th June I shot a hen Ptarmigan in the 
full mottled-brown summer plumage. On the 27th I shot a male 
in perfect winter plumage, except for one or two minute brownish — 
feathers on the top of the head. On July 27th and August 2nd, 
Ptarmigan were shot in partial plumage; these were both 
4 
