NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 173 



same color. It is an abundant resident In Newfoundland. It frequents beds of alder 

 and dwarf birch in swampy places, especially the borders of lakes and rivers. On 

 the drier portions of these places its nest is found. The breeding range of this well- 

 marked race seems to be confined to Newfoundland where it is resident. I have 

 no description concerning its eggs, which are undoubtedly Indistinguishable from 

 those of the Willow Ptarmigan. 



302. KOCK PTARMIGAN. Lagopus rupestris (Gmel.) Geog. Dist.— Arctic 

 America in general, except northern extremity of Peninsula of Labrador and region 

 thence northward, Greenland and Aleutian Islands; southeastward to Gulf of St. 

 Lawrence, Island of Anticosti. 



The Rock Ptarmigan is somewhat smaller than the foregoing and the summer 

 and winter dress is similar. The general mode of living is said to be the same, but 

 it does not retire very far into wooded districts in winter, frequenting the more 

 open woodland on the border of lakes, especially on the skirts of the Barren Lands. 

 Mr. MacFarlane founa this species breeding in the vicinity of Fort Anderson, incu- 

 bating in June, and young birds of goodly size were observed June 30. The nests 

 were placed on the ground and were of the same composition as those of L. lagopus. 

 The eggs with certainty cannot be distinguished from those of the Willow Ptarmigan, 

 but are described as usually less heavily spotted or less densely marked — averaging 

 lighter in color and less in size, 1.70x1.18. 



302a. REINHAEDT'S PTAEMIGAN. Lilgoims rupestris rewhardi (Brehm.) 

 Geog. Dist. — Greenland and western shores of Cumberland Gulf, and northern ex- 

 tremity of Labrador. 



The general appearance, summer dress, etc., of the Greenland Ptarmigan is 

 similar to that of the foregoing. It is found in Greenland and the islands on the 

 western side of Cumberland Gulf and Northern Labrador. The eggs are indistin- 

 guishable from those of L. rupestris, averaging 1.65x1.17. 



3026. NELSON'S PTARMIGAN. Laffopus rupestris nelsoni Stejn. Geog. 

 Dist. — Unalaska and some ajacent Aleutian Islands. 



The first specimens of this new race were taken by Mr. Nelson, at Unalaska, 

 one of the Aleutian Islands. He reports it as common at that place, frequenting the 

 mountain tops and slopes, and breeding in June. Turner says: 'On some of the 

 islands it is extremely abundant, among those may be mentoned Unalaska, Akutan 

 and Akun. It is resident wherever found. At Unalaska they seem to prefer the high, 

 rocky ledges, but everywhere come down to the low narrow valleys to roost and rear 

 their young." The nest iscomposed of a fewstalks of grass and feathers that may fall 

 from the mother's breast and is described altogether as being a very careless affair. 

 The site for the nest is chosen usually amidst the tall open tundra among the moss 

 and scanty grass. The number of eggs varies from nine to seventeen, eleven being 

 the usual number. There appears, at the present writing, that there are no eggs of 

 this subspecies in the extensive oological collections of this country, but it is safe 

 to infer that there is little or no difference between the eggs of this bird and those 

 of the Rock Ptarmigan. 



