136 NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIOXS IX ALASKA. 



but further uoitb the change commeuces still later, and in Greenland the males are pure white 

 in the breeding season. 



This species was found sparingly about Cumberland Gulf by Kunilien, and is extremely 

 abundant from Bering Straits across the entire northern portion of America and Greenland. 

 The Scotch Ptarmigan, a near relative of the present bird, is known to breed by the end of March 

 in the lowlands of Scotland, and as late as June amoug the highlands. In the south of Scot- 

 laud the males perch on knolls during a mild morning, and, rising several feet, drop again, utter- 

 ing a note which has been indicated in syllables as follows: Eck-l-cl;lycl{-wul--witl--u-ul<:. This note 

 and habit are identical with those of the Willow Grouse, as observed in Alaska, though more fre- 

 quently the note of tlie Alaska bird is the one previously indicated. 



LAGOPrs RUPESTEis (Gmel.). Rock Ptarmigan (Esk. ting u- ink). 



This beautiful Ptarmigan is a common resident of the Alaskan mainland, from Bering Straits 

 to the British border on the east, including the entire north and south extent of the mainland. 

 Unlike the common White Ptarmigan, it frequents the summits of the low hills and mountains 

 during the summer season, where it remains until the severe weather of early winter forces it down 

 to the lower elevations and under the shelter of the bush-bordered ravines aud furrows marking 

 the slopes. 



On May 10, 1881, while visiting two volcanic hills in the vicinity of Saint Michaels, I sud- 

 denly came across a pair of these handsome birds, which were still in almost perfect winter plumage, 

 the female having but a very sparse sprinkling of clayey feathers, aud the male but three or four 

 dark feathers on the sides of the head. These birds were feeding upon the last year's berries, on 

 the marshy knolls uear the end of one of the hills. They allowed me to approach within 20 feet, 

 and paid no attention beyond looking curiously at me as I walked slowly along. The susi>icion 

 of the male being slightly excited, he uttered a low, rolling or whirring sound, like that produced 

 by rolling the end of the tongue. The female answered with a low, clear " yopyop,^'' with a peculiar 

 iutonation, strikingly like that of the female hen-turkey, except it was much lower. When we 

 were about 15 feet from the birds, they stood looking at us for a moment with a pretty air of 

 innocent curiosity, and then, without showing the slightest signs of alarui, arose and flew oil to the 

 hill-side, a hundred yards or more away. The comb over the eye of the male stood erect, aud was 

 of the same brilliant orange-red as that of the White Ptarmigan; but the outline of the upper 

 border of this comb is cutout in the middle, so that only upon each end does it bear the filameutous 

 prolongation seen bordering that of L. albus. Just as the male alighted upon the hill side, he took 

 a slight upward curve, and theu descended to the ground on stitfened wings, very much in the 

 manner that characterizes albtis at this season; at the same time he uttered a loud, rather harsh 

 and guttural series of rolling notes, very much like the peculiar rolling call-note of Bafila acuta. 



During the entire year these birds are resident north at least to Bering Straits, as I obtaineu 

 si^ecimens from that vicinity on one of my winter expeditious. lu summer it exteuds still beyond 

 this, to all portions of the country crossed by mountain chains and hills. In autumn, toward 

 the last of October and first of November, this bird unites with the common Ptarmigan iu great 

 flocks, on the northern shore of Norton Sound, aud migrates thence across the sound to Stuart's 

 Island, thence reaching the mainland. The birds are frequently seen by the natives while they 

 are passing Egg Island, ou their way to the island just mentioned. They are said to commence 

 their flight just before dark iu the evening, and at this season, as mentioued under the preceding 

 species, many are snared at the head of Nortou Bay. Iu April the birds return to the north, 

 always traveling in the evening or night, as they do during their autumnal migrations. 



This Ptarmigan is resident at Point Barrow according to Murdoch but is less common than 

 albus. Mr. Dall mentions its presence in the Gens-du-large or Romanzoft" Mountains northwest 

 of Fort Yukon in about latitude 08° N. It is also found commouly in the vicinity of Fort Yukon. 

 The Smithsonian lustitution has received a large number of these birds from the region border- 

 ing the Arctic shores of the fur countries. On the Arctic coast of British America Mr. Rae 

 killed some Rock Ptarmigans, August 9, which were moulting at that time. They were not shy, and 



