310 W H I T E G R O U S. 



the feeds of the dwarf birch *, and in the feafon on variety of 

 berries of moiintain plants. During winter they are taken and 

 brought to Bergen by thoufands ; are half roaftedj and put into 

 firkins, and tranfported to other countries f. 



The leffer variety is not unknown m America. The fort here 

 defcribed is found in amazing quantities, efpecially about Hudfon's 

 Bay, where they breed in all parts along the coafts, make their nefts 

 on dry ridges on the ground, and lay from nine to eleven eggs, 

 powdered with black. 



This is the only fpecies of Grous in N. America to which 

 Providence hath given that warm proteftion to its feet, evidently 

 to fecure them againft the cold of their winter lodgings: and, as they 

 are greatly fought after by Eagles, Owls, and other birds of prey, 

 a fine provifion is made for their fafety, by the change of color, 

 which renders them not to be diftinguilhed from the fnow they 

 lie on. 



Every morning they take a flight into the air diredly upwards, 

 to fhake the fnow from their wings and bodies. They feed in the 

 mornings and evenings, and in the middle of the day bafk in the 

 fun. In the morning they call to one another with a loud note, 

 interrupted ; feeding in the intervals, and calling again. 



In the beginning of O^oher, they aflemble in flocks of two hundred, 

 and live much among the willows, the tops of which they eat; whence 

 they are caWcdlFillowPartridges. About the beginning o( December they 

 appear in lefs plenty, retiring from the flats about the fettlements on 

 Uudjoris Bay X.Q the mountains, where in that month the fnow is lefs 

 deep than in the lowlands, to feed on cranberries and other berries %. 

 In Greenland they refort in fummer to the mountains for the fake of 

 the crowberries ||, which they eat even with the leaves of the plant. 

 In winter they defcend to the fliores, where the winds fweep the 

 fnow off the rocks, and enable them to pick up a fuftenance. 



• Fl. Lap. z68. t Pontoppidan, ii. 92. % Drage's Voy. i. 174, 



[| Empetrum Nigrum. See Crantz. Greenl- i. 64, 75. 



They 



