1926] Sivarth: Birds and Mammals from the Atlin Region 83 



In the course of this study I had occasion to examine five adult 

 Dendragwpus (in the D. R. Dickey collection) from the coastal side of 

 White Pass, above Skagway, Alaska, and, most unexpectedly, these 

 birds proved not to be of the subspecies sitkensis. They are exactly 

 similar to specimens of fuliginmus from Vancouver Island. Prior, to 

 this I had seen but two specimens of DeruJragapus from a mainland 

 point in Alaska, a male and a female from Glacier Bay. The female 

 was recognized as darker colored and less reddish than any island 

 specimens of sitkensis, but it is in badly worn plumage, and this worn 

 condition, it was assumed, might account in part for the difference. 



Fig. G. Tail of Dendragapus fuliginosus fuUginosvA, showing variation due 

 to age; immature male (M.V.Z. no. 15579); % natural size. Four central 

 immature rectrices were lost by this bird in some way other than by the regular 

 molt. The four longer reetriees that replaced them are of the adult type. The 

 shorter lateral rectrices are of the immature type and have their full length. 

 This bird, shot June 22, would not have molted for two months. 



In the light of the additional specimens from Skagway, however, a 

 revision of this view is necessary. It looks as though the subspecies 

 Dendragapus fuUginosus fviiginosus must occur northward continu- 

 ously along the mainland coast of British Columbia and southeastern 

 Alaska, leaving sitkensis restricted to an island habitat. 



In the Atlin region the "blue grouse" is resident and fairly com- 

 mon at high altitudes. It is a favorite game bird of the region, both 

 from its large size and from the excellent quality of its flesh. Its 

 habitat is about timber line, where there is open country interspersed 

 with clumps of balsam firs. The dense thickets of these stunted trees, 

 with their gnarled and spreading branches, afford shelter from enemies 

 and from inclement weather, and in the foliage food also is furnished 

 when other sources fail. 



