162 NOTES ON THE 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
Tail of eighteen feathers; reddish-brown or gray above, the 
back with cordate spots of lighter; beneath whitish, transverse- 
ly barred with dull-brown; tail tipped with gray, and with a 
subterminal bar of black; broad feathers of the ruff black. 
Length, 18; wing, 7.20; tail, 7. 
Habitat, Eastern United States. 
LAGOPUS LAGOPUS (L.). (301) 
WILLOW PTARMIGAN. 
Having listed this bird from time to time on the fact of find- 
ing it in several collections, and in the hands of the taxider- 
mists, without having found it after many years of observation, 
I had about concluded to regard it as a straggler, when I was 
more fortunate and secured one at least 20 miles northeast of 
Anoka. Since then I have obtained several, and have in my 
possession as perfect a pair in winter plumage as I have ever 
seen, mounted and presented to me by the Messrs. Howling, 
on Christmas, 1890. 
The entire plumage is white in winter except the tail which 
is black, narrowly tipped with white, and the shafts of the 
quills which are also black. The bill is very robust and arched, 
and black, while the nails of the toesare black at the base, and 
pale horn color at the tips. I have learned nothing of their 
habits from personal observation. They must be accounted 
rare in Minnesota. Their habitat as given by the A. O. U. is 
‘‘Arctic regions; in America south to Sitka, British Provinces, 
and to Northern New York.” To this we must add Minnesota. 
TYMPANUCHUS AMERICANUS (ReIcHENBACH). (305.) 
PRAIRIE HEN. 
The local history of the Pinnated Grouse does not differ ma- 
terially from that of any other prairie country recently brought 
under civilization and cultivation. From the most reliable 
sources within my reach, I learn that when the white man first 
came to Minnesota, these birds were by no means common. 
Rev. E. G. Gear, one of the earlier chaplains in the regular 
army, stationed first at Fort Snelling and afterwards at Fort 
Ripley, (or perhaps in the reverse order), was a very accurate 
observer of all natural history phenomena, and especially so 
in the department of birds. 
