242 The Ptarmigan Family 



and Greenland. One brood is raised in a season, 

 the members of which keep together until the 

 following mating season. 



Welch's ptarmigan 



(L. r. welchi) 



A Newfoundland race, and apparently confined to the mountains of 

 that island. 



Adult male, in summer — Entire upper parts, brownish gray, vermic- 

 ulated and spotted with black, some feathers tipped, others 

 barred with white ; front, chin, upper part of throat, cheeks, and 

 back of neck, barred black and white ; tail, blackish brown ; 

 upper part of breast, barred black and white; lower breast, 

 belly and under tail-coverts, thighs, and tarsi, white ; bill, horn 

 color. Total length, 14 inches; wing, 7J; tail, 4J; tarsus, ij. 



Adult female — Top of head, barred with black and buff; back and 

 sides of head and neck, pale buff, barred and spotted with black ; 

 entire upper parts, mixed buff and black ; primaries and second- 

 aries, white ; tail, dark brown, the feathers edged, and the four 

 median feathers barred and tipped with white ; throat, whitish 

 buff; breast and flanks, pale buff, with broad, irregular bars of 

 black ; lower breast, abdomen, under tail, tail-coverts, legs, and 

 feet, buffy white; bill, pale horn color. Total length, about \i\ 

 inches ; wing, 6| ; tail, about 4J. The autumn plumage is 

 grayer, that of winter, white. 



THE WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN 

 (L. leucurus) 



Adult male — Top of head, sooty black, feathers tipped with buff; 

 lores, black ; rest of head and neck, barred black and buff; tips 

 of feathers, whitish ; chin and throat, white, with black spots ; 

 upper parts, grayish buff, barred and vermiculated with black ; 

 breast and flanks, barred and vermiculated with black and 

 brown ; lower breast and belly, legs, and tail, white. Total 

 length, 12J inches ; wing, 6J. Female, in size and color like 

 the male. 



