1924] Swarth: Birds and Mammals of the Skeena River Region 333

Lagopus rupestris (Gmelin), subsp.? Rock Ptarmigan

Three specimens collected on Nine-mile Mountain, two young birds
(nos. 42033-42034) partly in natal down, partly in juvenal plumage,
taken August 1, and an adult female (no. 42035) collected August 5.

Fig. A. Tail of female rock ptarmigan (no. 42035), natural size. The
outermost feather on each side is widely spread from the others to show pattern
of coloration on inner web. Drawn by Allan Brooks.

There are not available enough summer specimens from other points
to enable me to determine the subspecifie status of these birds. There
is at hand one summer-plumaged female from the Jade Mountains,
north of the Kowak River, collected May 28, 1899 (no. 32170), pre-
sumably representative of Lagopus rupestris rupestris. Compared
with the Nine-mile Mountain female, the Jade Mountains specimen is
much brighter colored. There is a great deal of bright hazel in the
plumage. The Nine-mile Mountain bird has a smaller bill (as com-
pared also with many winter females from the Kowak River region),
and is darker colored. Areas on individual feathers that in the