THE WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN. 85 



Although utterly devoid of protection from bush or shrub, so nearly does the 

 sitting bird resemble the gray bowlders which surround her on every side that 

 the discovery of the nest is due largely to accident. "When incubating it is 

 nearly impossible to flush the bird, according to my experience. Twice have I 

 escaped stepping upon a sitting Ptarmigan by only an inch or so, and once I 

 reined in my horse at a time when another step would have crushed out the 

 life of a brood of nine chicks but an hour or so from the egg. In this case 

 the parent crouched at the horse's feet, and, though in momentary danger of 

 being stepped on, made no attempt to escape until I had dismounted and put 

 out my hand to catch her. She then fluttered to the top of a rock a few 

 feet distant, and watched me as I handled the young, constantly uttering low 

 anxious protests. The chicks were still too young to escape, mere little 

 awkward bunches of down that stumbled and fell over one another when 

 they attempted to run. 



"Miners in whom I place confidence have told me that they have lifted 

 sitting Ptarmigan from the nest and handled the eggs, while the bird stood 

 but a few feet distant watching her treasures and uttering an occasional 

 squeak like a sitting hen. One, which had her nest near the trail between 

 the cabin and the mine, was annoyed in this way so often that she would 

 attempt to regain the nest while the eggs were being handled, and had to 

 be frequently pushed aside; she never failed to peck at the hand and utter 

 her protesting 'k-r-rrr' whenever any one attempted to touch her, and made 

 no attempt to fly away. 



"I have never heard of a nest at a lower elevation than one I found in 

 Saguache County, Colorado, which was not over 200 feet above timber line. 

 I think that they usually nest above 12,000 feet. Judging from the broods 

 of young I have flushed in August, I consider nine about the average number." 



Mr. Drew, in his field notes on the Birds of San Juan County, Colorado, 

 makes the following statement about this species: "Very common; breeds. 

 They are found above timber line in summer, where they feed on the leaves 

 and flowers of the marsh marigold, Caltha leptosepala. * * * They are 

 usually quiet during the day, but active and noisy in the evening, making a 

 cackling like Prairie Chickens. * * * They have from eight to ten young 

 at a brood." 1 



Mr. Dennis Gale writes me as follows: "Irrespective of season, as a general 

 rale, a single bird will not flush unless urged to it. During the summer months 

 this is especially noticeable; they will only move out of your way when 

 directly in your path, and close upon them, by short tacks right and left, 

 sidling off from you, at each tack changing sides, moving quickest on the 

 short run just before slowing up for the turn. Two or more together are 

 much more likely to flush, and if alarmed while flying will utter a quick 

 repeated 'kock, kock,' very like the note uttered by Pedwctetes pliasianettus 

 campestris under similar circumstances. 



1 Bulletin Nuttall Ornithological Club, Vol. VI, 1881, p. 141. 



