noble: avifauna of Newfoundland. . 549 



7. Lagopus rupestris WELCHi^^Brewster. 

 Welch's Ptarmigan. 



Two pairs of adults from the Lewis Hills, August 19th and 24th; 

 three young specimens with nearly adult plumage, from the same 

 locality, August 19th and 21st. 



Brewster (1885, p. 195) in his original description of this species 

 states : — 



"According to Mr. Welch, these Ptarmigan are numerous in Newfoundland, 

 where they are strictly confined to the bleak sides and summits of rockj- hills 

 and mountains in the interior. Unlike the Willow Grouse of that island,* * * 

 the Rock Ptarmigan are very local, and for the most part spend their lives 

 on or near the hills where they are reared." 



But according to Mr. Hersey's unpublished observations of 1913, 

 and my own made two years later, the Rock Ptarmigan is found to- 

 da}^ only among the high ridges of the west coast. It seems to me 

 that Arnold's record (Auk, 1912, 29, p. 76) must be considered an 

 error. Arnold states: — • 



"In a dry place in a large area of spruce bog, and at one of the highest 

 points reached by the railway, we flushed a bird of this species off her nine 

 fresh eggs on Jime 6." 



Welch's Ptarmigan has hitherto never been observed in a wooded 

 area during the summer months, nor have any of the various natur- 

 alists who in recent years have been along the railway between Deer 

 Lake and Gaff-topsails, met with this bird. On the other hand, 

 although Allen's Ptarmigan is exceedingly abundant on these barrens 

 Arnold does not include it in his list of birds observed. I am there- 

 fore inclined to believe that the bird Arnold observed was really this 

 latter species. 



All of the Welch's Ptarmigan observed were found on the very 

 highest ranges of the Lewis Hills. These are composed mostly of 

 syenite, very much weathered and fragmented. The Ptarmigan 

 apparently feed upon the berries and grasses which form a part of the 

 turf on these hills. All of the crops examined were stuffed with 

 mountain bearberries Arctostaphylos alpina (Linne), and contained no 

 insect food. 



Welch's Ptarmigan apparently seeks refuge among the broken 

 syenite blocks. The birds upon being flushed never scaled down into 



