. Feathered game of the Northeast . range ofcountry, including the northern parts of Eu-rope and Asia and the whole of North Americafrom the northern boundary of the UnitedStates far into the Arctic regions, in summerspreading out over the almost treeless barrenlands which extend along the shores of theArctic ocean, and in winter retreating to theshelter of the thick woods which stretch awaynorthwesterly mile after mile across Canadafrom the Atlantic to the Pacific. It is a dweller on the rocky heaths andswampy grounds, and not so fond of the woodsas are most northern grouse. As a rule, thePta
. Feathered game of the Northeast . range ofcountry, including the northern parts of Eu-rope and Asia and the whole of North Americafrom the northern boundary of the UnitedStates far into the Arctic regions, in summerspreading out over the almost treeless barrenlands which extend along the shores of theArctic ocean, and in winter retreating to theshelter of the thick woods which stretch awaynorthwesterly mile after mile across Canadafrom the Atlantic to the Pacific. It is a dweller on the rocky heaths andswampy grounds, and not so fond of the woodsas are most northern grouse. As a rule, thePtarmigan takes to the forests only whenobliged to do so for safety or when driven bystress of weather, coming out into the openingsas soon as ever the sun gets a bit of ground un-covered in the spring. During the summer months they live uponberries and insects. Through the long Arcticwinter they subsist on the buds of the brushand dwarfed willows which are scatteredthrough the frozen bogs. They are somewhat nocturnal in their habits,. UPC/) O IX a THE WILLOW GROUSE 53 mostly preferring to feed about sundovvm orduring the night. In their breeding habits they resemble therest of the family, building their nests upon theground, generally at the base of some greatrock or in a clump of stunted birches or Arcticwillows or at the edge of an opening in thewoods. They lay from eight to ten eggs, of abuff color, heavily blotched with dark red-brown spots. Unlike the ruffed grouse Mr. Ptarmigan is agood husband and assists in the upbringing ofhis offspring,—rather an unusual thing amongthe grouse family, where as a rule the male isa polygamous old rascal, perhaps because he isunable to choose between the fair ones and soplays no favorites. Therefore when disturbedwith their young instead of resorting to thecraft and strategems of the partridge insimilar stress, the male bird will dash about thehead of an intruder, in his desperate attackcoming near enough to be killed with a stick ifone b
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