THE WILLOW GROUSE. 
495 
berries that lie on the ground, and on the buds of the willow and larches. The eggs of a single 
nest number twelve or thirteen usually. 
The Columbian Sharp -tail is found more to the southward. The plains and prairies of 
Wisconsin and Illinois abound with them. This bird is found much farther west than the 
prairie chicken, the latter being confined to the region east of the Mississippi valley. A strik- 
ing peculiarity is seen in the two middle tail-feathers being two inches longer than the others. 
The Willow GtRoitse {Lag opus albus), or White Ptarmigan, so called, inhabits the 
fur countries as far north as the seventieth parallel. Between that to the fiftieth it is partially 
migratory. It is known to breed among the Rocky Mountains on the barren grounds, and 
along the Arctic coasts. It assembles in vast flocks during the winter, on the shores of 
WILLOW GROUSE . — Lagopus albus. (Winter Plumage.) 
Hudson’s Bay. Many thousands of these birds are captured at Severn River. They seek the 
willows in winter, feeding on the buds. At night, they penetrate the snow and lie concealed, 
and do the same when pursued by birds of prey, working their way into a mass of snow with 
considerable facility. 
This species is an interesting example of the adaptation of plumage to surroundings as a 
protective means. The winter plumage is pure white, thus being as well protected as is possible 
to any object exposed in open plains covered with snow. As the spring comes, and the bare 
rocks begin to appear, the plumage changes gradually, both by the fading of some coloration 
and by the moulting of feathers, until the red plumage is fully assumed, closely agreeing with 
the reddish and gray colors of the rocks. The males are said to assume this darker plumage 
sooner than the females. The former mount some rocky eminences, and call upon their mates, 
who are yet buried in the snow, and have not yet changed their colors. These birds are 
fond of the twilight, and are more frequently seen at such times. An unusual attachment is 
said to be exhibited by the male of this species for its mate, especially during the breeding 
time. 
