OF THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. I47 



with yellowish-brown and tipped with white. In winter white, the tail 

 black, tipped with white ; the male with a black bar from the bill through 

 the eye. Length, 14 to 15 ; wing 7 to 7-50 ; tail, 4-50. 



Hab. Arctic America, from Alaska to Labrador. 



Nfest on the ground. 



Eggs, reddish-brov/n, spotted with darker brown. 



This is another northern species reported by Mr. Bampton 

 as being occasionally exposed in the winter time in the market 

 at Sault St. Marie. It resembles the preceding in general 

 appearance, but is rather less in size, and in winter plumage 

 the black band through the eye of the male serves at once to 

 decide his identity. 



The Ptarmigans have a most interesting history, their small 

 feet covered densely with hair-like feathers, the wonderful 

 changes which their plumage undergoes to match their 

 surroundings, and their life amid the rigors of an arctic 

 winter, are matters which invest the history of the group with 

 peculiar interest. 



Genus TYMPANUCHUS Glogen. 



125. TYMPANUCHUS AMERICANUS (Reich.). 305. 



Prairie Hen. 



Above variegated with black, brown, tawny or ochrey, and white, the 

 latter especially on the wings ; below pretty regularly barred with dark 

 brown, white and tawny ; throat tawny a little speckled, or not ; vent and 

 crissum mostly white ; quills fuscous with white spots on the outer webs ; 

 tail fuscous, with narrow or imperfect white or tawny bars and tips ; sexes 

 alike in color, but the female smaller with shorter neck-tufts. Length, 16-18 ; 

 wing, 8-g ; tail, about 5. 



Hab. Prairies of the Mississippi Valley, south to Louisiana, east to 

 Kentucky and Indiana. 



Nest on the ground, in a tuft of grass or small shrub. 



Eggs, 8 to 12 ; pale greenish-gray, sometimes minutely dotted with 

 brown. 



Southern Ontario has no prairie which meets the require- 

 ments of the Prairie Chicken, and therefore the birds are not 

 here. From various sources I have heard of tneir being still 



