1912] Sivarth: Birds anil Mammals from Vancouvi r Island 23 



Tahsis Canal had its crop filled with small snails swallowed whole. 

 Twenty-two specimens were secured (nos. 15585-15606) : six 

 adult males, three adult females, two immature males, three 

 immature females, two females in ju venal plumage, and six birds 

 in the natal down. 



Lagopus leucurus leucurus (Swainson) 

 White-tailed Ptarmigan 



Ptarmigan probably occur on all the higher mountains, where 

 favorable conditions prevail, but they do not appear to be numer- 

 ous. We searched for them at various points, with but moderate 

 success. The regions they inhabit are so extremely wild, rugged 

 and difficult of access that we were never able to conduct as 

 thorough a hunt as I should have liked. In each case it meant a 

 trip of several days from our base camp, over mountains so steep 

 and rough that we were able to carry but a very limited amount 

 of supplies, even the bedding being left behind, while twice our 

 hunts were brought to an abrupt end by sudden storms that 

 forced us to descend hurriedly to the lowlands. 



The caretaker at the Golden Eagle Mine told us that he had 

 occasionally seen ptarmigan on the high surrounding ridges, but 

 we failed to secure any at this point. On July 11 Despard saw 

 one on a high ridge south of Mount Saunders. This appeared 

 to be a female, and from its actions it undoubtedly had a brood 

 of young near by. Numerous feathers and droppings were noted 

 in the vicinity, but a later visit to the place was unproductive 

 of results, no ptarmigan being seen. 



The next place where we had an opportunity of hunting them 

 was in the high mountains northwest of the head of Great Central 

 Lake. Here, on the afternoon of August 20, a small flock was 

 encountered on a steep mountain side overlooking Delia Lake, 

 at an estimated altitude of about 4000 feet, and three birds 

 secured. The next morning the remainder of the flock was found 

 again at the same spot, and three more were shot. This covey 

 was composed of nine individuals, probably a pair of adults with 

 their brood. They were found at the lower edge of deep snow 

 banks which cover all these high ridges, where numerous small, 

 terrace-like breaks in the steep, rocky hillside held sufficient soil 



