58 IT. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 217 



low ptarmigan. In an old Nunamiut story Willow Ptarmigan chal- 

 lenged Eock Ptarmigan. The latter said that although smaller he was 

 more agile and had better staying power. In the ensuing combat he 

 demonstrated his superiority and finally killed Willow Ptarmigan. 

 Then his wife tattooed the black marks with soot on either side of his 

 mouth as the sign used among Eskimos of one who has killed a man, 

 or, along the coast, of one to be recognized for killing a whale. Rock 

 ptarmigan appear bolder and more energetic than willow ptarmigan. 

 In the rock ptarmigan the mothers seem to be more attentive in the 

 care of the young chicks and male birds often share with them in the 

 early care. The disposition for individual independence and effective 

 care of family make the rock ptarmigan also seem like substantial 

 mountain residents in the opinion of the Eskimos. 



Rock ptarmigan do not appear to migrate as do willow ptarmigan 

 but they do change their common feeding range during the year. 

 They are familiarly seen in summer on high ground or occasionally 

 on the gravel bars among the willows in the creeks, while in winter 

 they often keep to higher rounded slopes where the low vegetation is 

 exposed by the strong winds. Not as numerous as willow ptarmigan 

 during their period of maximum number, they have a more restricted 

 habitat which appears less productive of food than the willows, with 

 their good supply of buds, on which the latter feed. 



The largest eggs developing in females were measured in 1951 on 

 May 17 at 14 mm. ; May 18, 2 mm. ; May 20, 12 mm. ; May 21, 18 mm. ; 

 May 23, 45 mm. ; and in 1952 on May 29 at 14 mm. ; June 3, 44 mm. ; 

 June 5, large. The last was the size of eggs in nests. The two downy 

 young taken on July 3 were, judging from their size, recently hatched. 

 In country along the Itivlik similar to Anaktuvuk chicks were just 

 able to run on June 25. 



In early May the red about the eye of the male expands and be- 

 comes brilliant, and by mid-May a few dark feathers appear on the 

 neck. On May 27, 1952, in Howard Pass the white males were con- 

 spicuously posturing, fighting, and occasionally pursuing the sly 

 females, which, their backs and heads changed to summer plumage, 

 remained well concealed on the alternating grassy and snow covered 

 spots. A week later at Anaktuvuk the courtship appeared to have 

 been accomplished. Through early June the male birds, still white 

 except for a few dark feathers showing on their necks, stood in 

 statuesque posture on the knolls where they often permitted a close 

 approach before flying. 



So seriously do male ptarmigan take exhibition as their function 

 while the female is sitting on the nest that they stand for hours in 

 full view, often with empty crops. During this period, their preoc- 

 cupation with exhibitionism hinders feeding and makes them lean. 



