OLD CROW 185 



Some of the Indians suggested that the rarity of spruce grouse in 

 195T might be associated with the reduced number of ptarmigan, but 

 the number of spruce grouse near Old Crow is not usually sufficient to 

 make their absence impressive. 



Ruffed grouse, reported at Lapierre House (Ross, 1862) and Forty 

 Mile (Grinnell, 1909), are so little known at Old Crow that failure to 

 remark them in 1957 is not significant of a change in the population. 



While rock ptarmigan are well known at Old Crow, their habitat is 

 not regularly observed and our inquiries did not evoke opinions upon 

 change in their numbers. I saw as many in the Old Crow Mountains 

 as I have seen at various times in some Alaskan localities. 



The Alaskan races of willow and rock ptarmigan extend to Old 

 Crow in the arctic Yukon. 



Canachites canadensis osgoodi Bishop 



We saw no signs of spruce grouse in 1957, and residents of Old Crow 

 said that they had seen none that spring. In most years spruce grouse 

 are often seen in August and 9 specimens were obtained in September 

 and October 1958, at Avhich time individuals and flocks were being 

 occasionally reported. It seems that they are never abundant, but 

 that a few are usually noticed in all seasons. The species is normally 

 resident in Alaska, Yukon, and Mackenzie to the northern edge of 

 spruce forests (A. O. U., Check-list, 1957) . 



Bonasa umbellus (Linnaeus) 



Joe Kay, elected chief at Old Crow from about 1920 to 1934 and 

 a man possessing gTeat wisdom about his country and its animals, 

 said that he knew and used to hear the "thumping" of ruffed grouse, 

 although for two years he had not heard or seen them. On the basis 

 of his report, ruffed grouse are listed among the resident birds of 

 Old Crow. The Indian name is Chut tul. 



The species had been reported at Lapierre House (Ross, 1862), 

 Forty Mile (Grinnell, 1909) and Fort Yukon (Bishop, 1900) and 

 from Porcupine to Old Crow and Lapierre (Aldrich and Duvall, 

 1955 ) . Residents in the Alaskan Arctic forest along the Koyukuk and 

 Kobuk Rivers do not seem to be familiar with ruffed grouse, but they 

 seeni to extend just across the Arctic circle in Yukon. 



Lagopus lagdpus alascensis Swarth 



4 females Apr. 5-12 weight 532-627, little fat (2) , no eggs 0.75, 1.6 mm, 



average 584 g. fat (2) 



5 sex imknown Apr. 5 weight 546-636, 



average 591 g. 



The average weight of willow ptarmigan in the small sample from 

 Old Crow was less than the 619-gram average for 128 Z. I. alascensis 



