TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 361 



Bay; abundant in valleys to southward where white birch is plentiful. 

 Low states that it is common at Mistassini and not rare at the mouth 

 of Hamilton River, but that it is not found on the upper Hamilton 

 River. 



Lagopus lagopus (Linn.). 



Willow Ptarmigan; "Browse Partridge"; "Grouse" (Cartwright). 



It is often difficult to separate in the records of travelers and even 

 in those of ornithologists the three species of ptarmigan found in 

 Labrador. In general the Willow Ptarmigan is an abundant resident 

 throughout Labrador south of the tree line. The Rock Ptarmigan 

 is found on the barren treeless areas of the Arctic zone especially from 

 Hamilton Inlet northward, while Reinhardt's Ptarmigan is found in 

 the extreme northern parts of Labrador. 



The Willow Ptarmigan breeds in the interior of Labrador in the 

 forested region and migrates in great flocks to the barren seacoast 

 in winter. Cartwright's observations on this bird, which he calls 

 "Grouse," are so acute and interesting that we quote some of them 

 in full here. He entered in his journal at Cape Charles on September 

 28, 1773, the following: "This morning I took a walk upon the hills 

 to the westward, and killed seven brace of grouse. These birds are 

 exactly the same with those of the same name in Europe, save only in 

 the colour of their feathers, which are speckled with white in summer, 

 and perfectly white in winter, (fourteen black ones in the tail excepted 

 which always remain the same). When I was in England, Mr. Banks, 

 (now Sir Joseph Banks) Doctor Solander and several other naturalists 

 having enquired of me respecting the manner of these birds changing 

 colour, I took particular notice of those I killed, and can aver, for a 

 fact, that they get at this time of the year a very large addition of 

 feathers, all of which are white; and that the coloured feathers at the 

 same time change to white. In spring most of the white feathers 

 drop off, and are succeeded by coloured ones; or, I rather believe, all 

 the white ones drop off, and that they get an entire new set. At the 

 two seasons they change very differently; in the spring, beginning 

 at the neck, and spreading from thence; now, they begin on the belly, 

 and end at the neck. There are also ptharmagans in this country, 

 which are in all respects, the same as those I have killed on some high 



