THE WILLOW PTARMIGAN. 71 



"The note used by the native in this instance was a peculiar nasal 'yak- 

 yak-yak-yak.' This was made by placing his hands over his mouth and closing 

 the nose with thumb and finger. At this time the males were continually pur- 

 suing each other or holding possession of prominent knolls, frequently rising 

 thence 5 to 10 yards in the air, with quick wing strokes, and descending with 

 stiffened wings with the tips curved downward. While ascending they uttered 

 a series of notes which may be represented by the syllables ' ku-ku-ku-kii,' 

 which is changed as the bird descends to a hard rolling 'kr-r-r-r-,' in a very 

 deep guttural tone, ending as the bird reaches the ground. Frequently a pair 

 would fly at each other full tilt, and a few feathers would be knocked out, the 

 weaker bird quickly taking flight again, while the victor rises, as just described, 

 and utters his loud note of defiance and victory. On other occasions, when the 

 birds are more evenly matched, they fight fiercely until the ground is strewn 

 with feathers. 



"By May 24 almost all these birds are paired, but some did not complete 

 their nuptials until the first, few days in June. This Grouse takes but a single 

 mate in northern Alaska, and I am informed by the natives of Unalaska that 

 the same is the case with the Rock Grouse found on the Aleutian Islands, 

 nor have I ever known of the Ptarmigan assembling in numbers about any 

 special meeting place to carry on their love affairs ; they scatter about as pre- 

 viously mentioned, being seen singly here and there on prominent knolls over 

 the flat country. Early in June, rarely so early as the last of May, the first 

 eggs are laid; by June 20 and 25 the downy young are usually out, and when 

 approached the female crouches close to the ground amongst her brood. When 

 she sees it is impossible to escape notice, she rolls and tumbles away as though 

 mortally injured, and thus tries to lead one from her chicks. The young at the 

 same time try to escape by running away in different directions through the 

 grass. At this season the female and male both moult and assume a plumage 

 which differs considerably. The young are fledged and on the wing at varying 

 dates through July, and are nearly full grown by the 1st to the 10th of August. 

 They are handsome little creatures in brown and yellow down, with a chestnut 

 cap and black lines down the back. A few days after birth the young begin to 

 show traces of the first full plumage upon their breasts. * * * 



"In nesting, these birds usually gather a few grasses and dry leaves, and 

 with them they loosely line a shallow depression which is situated on the side 

 of some slight knoll or dry place on the open grass and moss covered tundra." 1 



Mr. L. M. Turner, in his manuscript on the birds of Labrador and Ungava, 

 makes the following statement regarding this species: "In the spring these 

 birds repair, as the snow melts, to the lower, grounds and prepare for the 

 nuptial season. About the 10th of April they may be heard croaking or bark- 

 ing on all sides. A male selects a favorable tract of territory for the location 

 of the nest, and endeavors to induce a female to resort to that place. He 

 usually selects the highest portion of the tract, whence he launches into the 



'Extracts from Report upon Natural History Collections made in Alaska, 1877-1881, Nelson, pp. 132-135. 



