. Life histories of North American birds with special reference to their breeding habits and eggs [microform]. Birds; Birds; Oiseaux; Oiseaux. r 1 ? 1 111; RS 'â *. â '. 74 LIFE HISTORIES UP NOKTU AMEKICAN BIRDS. Tlio food of the Willow I'tiirmijifan, dnriii}? the early sprinf? and summer, consists principally of the buds and tender leaves of tlu; various species of birch and willows found in that rej^ion, and several kinds of berries, such as arbutus, criiuberry, and whortleberr}', as well as insects of dift'erent s|)ecies, of which they find an abundant supply during- tiie short sunnner seas
. Life histories of North American birds with special reference to their breeding habits and eggs [microform]. Birds; Birds; Oiseaux; Oiseaux. r 1 ? 1 111; RS 'â *. â '. 74 LIFE HISTORIES UP NOKTU AMEKICAN BIRDS. Tlio food of the Willow I'tiirmijifan, dnriii}? the early sprinf? and summer, consists principally of the buds and tender leaves of tlu; various species of birch and willows found in that rej^ion, and several kinds of berries, such as arbutus, criiuberry, and whortleberr}', as well as insects of dift'erent s|)ecies, of which they find an abundant supply during- tiie short sunnner season. All observations made on the habits of the Ptarmigan during the breeding season tend to show that the male is ecpially devoted, and shows a strong attachnuait for the young, assisting in taking care of them, and displaying as great a sidicitude for their safety as tlie female, differing in this respect from most of the Grouse family, by whom tliu care and protection of the young is apjjarently almost entirely left t(» their mates. The nests of tlu* Willow Ptarmigan are, as a rule, not ])articularly well hidden, and judging from the large innuber of eggs of this species in the U. S. National ^luseum collection, procured principally l)y Mr. II. MacFarlane, of the Hudson Bay Company, near Anderson River Fort, in about latitude GH°, they nuist be exceedingly abundant at this point. The average nund)er of eggs to a set is from seven to eleven, and but one Ijrood is raised in a season. Tiie eggs vary in shape from ovate to elongate ovate. The ground color ranges from cream color to a pronounced reddish buff, with several intermediate shades. In some specimens it is very clearly seen, in others it is almost completely obscured by the heavy con- fluent blotches and markings. The latter vary from well-defined and nearly even-sized spots of different sizes to eonfluent and cKiuded l)lotches, and smears of various shades of dark nnldish and clove brown, completely ol)- scuring
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1892
