WILLOW PTARMIGAN. 
43 
forest regions of Quebec, Ontario, and Michigan, and Turner found 
it abundant in Northern Labrador. 
The retiring disposition of the bird has caused its habits to be 
little known, and the nest is generally so well concealed that few 
collectors have succeeded in procuring specimens of the eggs. 
Several pairs of these birds have been successfully domesticated 
by Mr. Watson Bishop, of Kentville, Nova Scotia, and an article 
from his pen, published in the “ Ornithologist and Oologist ” for 
January, 1889, contains much that is new concerning their habits. 
The birds were easily tamed, and soon became so fearless as to 
hop on Mr. Bishop’s knee and take food from his hand. 
When strutting before the hen, the male poses and puffs after 
the manner of a Gobbler. The feathers on his breast and collar 
are raised on end ; the combs over the eyes, which can be enlarged 
at will, almost meet above the crown; and the erect and expanded 
tail is kept swaying from side to side with a silk like rustling. The 
females during the nesting season are veiy quarrelsome, so that 
only a few can be kept in one pen ; but this unfriendliness disap- 
pears after the broods scatter. 
The hen will occasionally cover the first egg with grass, but not 
often, though after several eggs have been deposited, she usually 
flings behind her, with her claws, any leaves, grass, or similar ma- 
terial that may chance to lie near the nest. But she never turns to 
arrange this covering; though when on the nest she will sometimes 
pick up with her bill any straws that may be within reach, and 
these she tucks under her. 
The first egg of a clutch has the least amount of marking, and 
the number of spots increases with each successive egg. The spots 
are entirely on the surface, and are easily rubbed off. 
WILLOW PTARMIGAN. 
WHITE GROUSE. 
Lacopus I,AG 0 PUS. 
Char. Kill black ; legs and feet thickly feathered to the claws. Win- 
ter plumage pure white ; tail-feathers black, tipped with white. Male in 
summer r head and neck chestnut; body orange brown, more tawny on 
back and rump, barred with black; wiugs mostly white. Female : simi- 
lar, but more heavily barred with black. Length about 16 inches. 
A"est. A mere depression, with a slight lining of leaves and grass, — 
sometimes a few feathers. 
Eggs. S-16 (usually about 10); buff or reddish brown, marked with 
darker brown ; 1.80 X 1.25. 
