builds its nest in the latter part of June. 

 The nest — which is almost always placed 

 on or near the summit of a ridge or spur, 

 many hundred feet above timber-line — 

 is merely a depression in the ground, 

 lined with a few straws and white feath- 

 ers from the mother's breast. While on 

 her nest, the bird is very tame. Once, 

 while walking near the summit of the 

 range. I chanced to look down and saw 

 a Ptarmigan in the grass at my very 

 feet : at the next step I should have trod- 

 den upon her. Seeing that she did not 

 appear frightened. I sat down gently, 

 stroked her on the back, and finally put- 

 ting both hands beneath her raised her 

 gently off the nest and placed her on the 

 grass, while she scolded and pecked my 

 hands like a setting hen ; and on being re- 

 leased, merely flew off a few yards and 

 settled on a rock, from which she watched 

 me till I had to go away. Late in July 

 I came across a brood of young ones, 

 apparently not more than four or five 

 days old. They were striped with broad 

 bands of white and blackish-brown, and 

 looked precisely like little game chickens. 

 The mother flew in my face and hit me 

 with her wings, using all the little arti- 

 fices that the quail and partridge know 

 so well how to employ, to draw me away : 

 while her brood, seven or ei°;ht in num- 

 ber, nimbly ran and hid themselves in 

 the dense grass and among the stones. 

 About the first of September the Ptarmi- 

 gan begins to change color again : but, 

 as in the spring, the process is very grad- 

 ual, white feathers appearing, one by one. 

 and taking the place of the dark ones. 

 The white on the lower parts enlarges 

 first ; then the white area of the wings : 

 and next, white specks appear on the 

 upper parts, becoming larger and more 

 numerous as the season wears on ; but 

 so gradual is the change, that a month 

 after it begins, there is not much differ- 

 ence in the plumage perceptible, the gen- 

 eral aspect being that of summer. The 

 dark areas predominate throughout Oc- 

 tober and. as I have been informed by 

 persons who have killed them through- 

 out the year, it is late in December or in 

 January before they become pure white, 

 some few birds showing occasional dark 

 spots even throughout the latter month. 

 "The Ptarmigan feeds upon the leaves 



and stalks of various alpine plants. It 

 also lives largely upon insects., and in 

 winter is said to subsist on the buds and 

 leaves of the pines and firs. Its flesh 

 is light colored, though not as white as 

 that of the gray grouse, to which it is 

 usually considered inferior for the ta- 

 ble. In localities where it is seldom mo- 

 lested, it is very tame, and I have been 

 informed by persons whose word is 

 worthy of belief, that they have fre- 

 quently killed them with sticks. Nim- 

 ble of foot, the Ptarmigan frequently 

 prefers to run away on the approach of 

 danger, rather than take wing, running 

 over the rocks and leaping from point 

 to point with great agility, stopping 

 every little while to look at the object 

 of alarm. The flight of the Ptarmigan 

 is strong, rapid and at times sustained 

 for a considerable distance, though us- 

 ually they fly but a few hundred yards 

 before alighting again. It resembles that 

 of the prairie hen. consisting of rapid 

 flappings of the wings, alternating with 

 the sailing flight of the latter bird. The 

 note is a loud cackle, somewhat like the 

 prairie hen. yet quite different ; and when 

 uttered by a large flock together, re- 

 minds one of the confused murmur and 

 gabble of a fleck of shore-birds about 

 to take wing. It is a gregarious bird, 

 associating in flocks throughout the 

 year, except in the breeding season. 



''"The colors of the bird closely resem- 

 ble those of the surrounding objects., at 

 all seasons of the year. In its summer 

 plumage of speckled black and gray, it 

 is very difficult to detect while sitting 

 motionless among the gray and lichen- 

 covered rocks. The Ptarmigan is ap- 

 parently well aware of this, and often 

 squats and remains quiet while one walks 

 past, trusting to its resemblance to the 

 surrounding rocks to escape observa- 

 tion. In summer the white' areas of the 

 plumage are completely hidden while 

 the bird is squatting, although plainly 

 visible on the wing : in winter the first 

 appearing black specks are concealed be- 

 neath the white feathers : and at this 

 period, as I am informed, is almost in- 

 distinguishable from the snow. On be- 

 ing pursued, it will dive into the snow 

 and reappear at a considerable distance." 



60 



