The Birds of Angmagsalik. 235 
BARNACLE GOOSE (Branta leucopsis Bechst.). 
Bramsaas. 
Only twice has Petersen had this goose, June 11th, 1901, from 
a settlement near the station and May 23rd, 1902, from another settle- 
ment; the latter was shot out of a flock of 4. The skin of the first was 
sent home, and proved to be that of a young bird in a state of trans- 
ition to the dress of the old bird. 
In contrast to the Brent goose, the Barnacle goose commonly 
breeds in north-east Greenland between 70 and 80° N., has been found 
here breeding by Bay on Ryder’s Expedition, by Nathorst at Clavering 
Island and Scoresby Sound, by Kolthoff at Frantz Joseph’s Fjord and 
by Manniche on the Denmark Expedition. Apart from Greenland, 
Spitzbergen is the only other known breeding place. It appears often 
on Iceland during migration, but it is doubtful whether it breeds there. 
PTARMIGAN (Lagopus mutus groenlandicus Schiöler). 
Fjzldrype. E.Gr.: Nakatogak, Mitigak = He whom stones are 
thrown at. 
The ptarmigan is a fairly common breeding bird at Angmagsalik. 
As to its appearance outside the breeding time it is, as in the whole 
of South Greenland, very varying, and is determined by conditions in 
the regions far to the north. The ptarmigan is a bird that is able to roam 
about wide areas, but to leave Greenland is beyond its powers. In the 
winter it wanders wherever it can find food, this explaining its fitful 
and quite incalculable behaviour. At Angmagsalik it may be quite 
lacking in winter time, whilst in other years it is met with in large numbers. 
As to its appearance in the first half of the year Petersen relates :— 
1899, April 14th. Today I shot the first ptarmigan since November 
last. 
1899, May 5th. Seen constantly. 
1900, March 20th. At present there are comparatively not so few in 
the district; one morning I shot 17 here by the houses. 
1900, May 9th. At present unusually large numbers; during the last 
few days I have bought no less than 100 from the natives. 
1900, May 13th. Of a brace of ptarmigan I received today the male 
was already changing his plumage. 
1901, June 2nd. Today I received a lot of ptarmigan, of which more 
than half — the females — were in full summer dress. I was 
therefore not surprised that in many of them there were already 
fairly large eggs. 
