LAGOPUS ALBUS. 
WILLOW PTARMIGAN. 
TBTRAO ALBUS. Gmel, Syst. Nat., toI. i., 1788, p. 750.— Lath., Ind. Ornith., toI. ii., p. 639. 
TETRAO SALICETI. Temm., Man. d’Ornith., p. 471, vol. i.— Sab., Appen. Frank. Narr., p. 681.— Rich., Appen. Parry, 2d Voy., p. 347.— 
And., Ornith. Biog., vol. ii., 1834, p. 528, pi. 191. 
TETRAO (LAGOPUS) ALBUS. Nntt., Man. Ornith., vol. i., 2d edit., 1840, p. 816. 
TETRAO (LAGOPUS) SALICETI. Swain, F. Bor. Ainer., vol. ii., 1831, p. 351.— Ross, Arct. Exp., p. 28. 
LAGOPEDE DE LA BAIE D’HUDSON. Buff., vol. hi., p. 310.— Id., Ois., vol. ii., p. 276.— Onv., Reg. Anim., p. 449. 
TETRAO LAGOPUS. Forst., Phil. Trans., Ixii., 1772, p. 390. 
WHITE GROUSE. Pennant, Arctic Zooh, vol. i., p. 360.— Lath., Syn., vol. iv., p. 743. 
WHITE PARTRIDGE. Edwards, Birds, pi. 72, male in change. 
WILLOW PARTRIDGE. Hearne, Jonru., p. 411. 
PERDIX DES SAULES. Hearne, Voy. ii TOcean du Nord, p. 338, edit, in 4°. 
TETRAO DES SAULES, OU MUET. Temm., Pig. et Gall., vol. hi., p. 208, t. Anat., 11, f. 1, 2, and 3. 
TETRAO LAPPONICUS. Gmel, Syst. Nat., vol. i., p. 751, sp. 25.— Lath., Ind. Ornith., vol. ii., p. 640, sp. 12. 
WEISSE WL4LDHUHN. Bechst., Naturg. Dent., vol. hi., p. 1353. 
TETRAO REHUSAK. Temm., Pig. et Gall., vol. hi., p. 225. 
REHUSAK GROUSE. Lath., Syn. Supph, vol. i., p. 216. — ^Penn, Arct. Zooh, vol. ii., p. 316. 
LAGOPUS ALBUS. Bon., Am. Phil. Trans., vol. hi., N. S., p. 393, sp. 313.— And., Syn., 1839, p. 207.— Id., Birds of Amer., vol. v., 1842, 
p. 114, pi. 299. — Gray, Gen. of Birds, vol. hi. — ^Baird, U. S. P. R. R. Exp. and Siirv., vol. ix., p. 633.— Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 
558.— G. R. Gray, Oat. B. Brit. Mus., Pt. III., p. 47 (1844). — ^Bon., Geog. and Comp. List Birds, p. 44, No. 288. 
LAGOPUS SALICETI. Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 
LAGOPUS SUBALPINUS. Nils., Orn. Suec., vol. i., p. 307, sp. 139. 
LAGOPUS BRACHYDACTYLUS. Temm., Man. d’Ornith., vol. hi., p. 328.— Gould, B. of Eur., pi. 256.— Gray, Gen. of B., vol. hi.— Bon., 
Geog. and Comp. List B., p. 44, No. 300. 
The Willow Grouse is an inhabitant of the northern portions of both hemispheres, but is rarely seen within the limits of the United 
States. Audubon mentions that he had seen the skins of several that were shot near Lake Michigan, and also states that he felt assured 
it existed in the State of Maine. Although I do not think that the Willow Ptarmigan is an habitual resident of any part of the Union, 
yet in very cold winters it has frequently migrated southward, and been taken within our borders. 
This species is monogamous, and the male remains in the vicinity of the nest while the female is sitting, and afterward accompanies 
the brood until they are nearly full grown, evincing much affection and tenderness toward them. The female constructs her nest of twigs 
and mosses, and lays about a dozen eggs of a rufous color, thickly spotted with reddish brown. But one brood is raised during the 
season, and the young are at first covered with a yellowish down. 
Audubon, speaking of the affection possessed by the adults for their offspring, states “that when a covey happened to come in our 
way, the parents would fly directly toward us with so much boldness, that some were actually killed on the wing with the rods of our 
gnus, as they flew about in the agonies of rage and despair, with all their feathers raised and ruffled. In the mean time, the little ones 
dispersed and made off through the deep moss and tangled creeping plants with great rapidity, squatting and keeping close to the ground, 
when it became extremely difficult to find them.” 
The flight of the Willow Ptarmigan is regular and swift, sometimes protracted to a great distance ; and on rising, they utter a cluck 
several times repeated. In winter they associate together in large flocks, and obtain their subsistence mainly by feeding upon the lichens 
and moss, to reach which they are obliged to scratch away the snow. 
