July, 1920 A NEW PTARMIGAN FROM MOUNT RAINIER 147 
Geographic range.—While all specimens so far examined which are clearly refer- 
able to the new form are from Mount Rainier, it is not improbable that the ptarmigan 
occurring in the Cascade Mountains, at least in central and southern Washington and in 
Oregon, if the bird occurs in that State, will be found to be nearest this subspecies. The 
life zone occupied is Arctic Alpine. 
Specimens examined.—Hight adults and four young birds, all from Mount Rainier, 
Washington, as follows: Near Nisqually Glacier, 3; Pyramid Peak, 6,000 feet, 1; Indian 
Henrys, 7,000 feet, 1; Indian Henrys, 7,500 feet, 1; Indian Henrys, near timberline, 2; 
Indian Henrys, 5,300 feet, 1; Pinnacle Peak, 6,200 feet, 1; McClure Rock, 7,300 feet, 1; 
Mount Rainier, 1. 
Plumage descriptions.—Adult males in nuptial plumage: The plumage shows evi- 
dent signs of wear. Back white, mottled and barred with blackish; individual dark 
feathers blackest toward ends, being nearer hair brown or mummy brown toward bases; 
the dark feathers variously barred and marked with whitish or buffy, some conspicu- 
ously (as in no. 853, collection of Stanley G. Jewett), some scarcely at all (as in no. 101, 
Fig. 33. TypicaAL PLARMIGAN COUNTRY ON THE MountT RUTH RIDGE, 7,500 
FEET, NORTH SIDE OF MOUNT RAINIER, WASHINGTON. THE EASTERLY 
EMINENCE OF THE ANCIENT CRATER IN THE DISTANCE. 
Museum, State Normal School, Cheney, Washington, collected by J. W. Hungate). Top 
of head white thickly sprinkled with wedges of blackish. Lower back and rump variously 
modified with darker feathers. Wings and tail white; some of wing coverts blackish 
like feathers of back; upper tail coverts near fuscous, pencilled and barred with light 
ochraceous-buff, or light buff; underparts white, sometimes washed with light 
ochraceous-buff; breast blotched and barred: with blackish; throat white with scattered 
splotches of black. One bird (no. 853, collection of Stanley G. Jewett), has acquired dark 
flank feathers on the left side, these feathers crossed by four bars of blackish. Blackish 
portions of feathers beneath sometimes pencilled with light buff. 
Black mottling and barring on belly and flanks of males less extensive than in 
females; the former are also less buffy, especially dorsally. The black blotches are lar- 
ger in the male than in the female, and consequently the black bars are broader and 
