FEMALE x\ND THREE YOUNG OF THE ROCK PTARMIGAN 



The subdued and grayish-brown plumage make a photograph of the four birds difficult 



without a background of white 



IMiutos by George Shiras, 3rd 



FEMALE ROCK PTARMIGAN, PHOTOGRAPHED AT FIVE FEET 



"The hen had two warning notes for the young, one causing them to remain stock still or 

 crouch wherever they happened to be — and so faithful was the obedience that I could pick 

 the young up — and another note, which caused the young to immediately seek an overhead 

 protection, eitlier beneath the broken rocks or under the rims of snow or ice. Once I saw 

 seven small ptarmigan run beneath the edge of a block of ice, and all I could see was the 

 projecting row of small black bills; and in another case the young bird, alarmed by the 

 mother's note, squeezed in between my shoes and remained there until relieved by a reassur- 

 ing call" (see pages 456, 457), 



469 



