James 8tampsp age l0 of Shelbyville  Conn

What is a ptarmigan?

The ptarmigan is a game bird: cousin to the ruffled grouse and the prairie chicken. Usually he lives in the far north or far south. He may be a rock ptarmigan of Arctic regions or he may be a willow ptarmigan of Antarctic and Arctic regions but he is sure to have feathered feet. He needs these feathered booties for he often has to cope with a colds snowy winter.

The rook ptarmigan endures the long winter night above the Arctic Circles He may burrow under the snow to keep warms, hunt for seeds or maybe hide from a hungry Eskimos.  In summer the ptarmigan is speckled brom black and white to match the earth. Coarse fall he may molt and don snowy white plumage. This chine in regions where snow stays throughout the winter.

When a Scotsman thinks of grouse bunting  he is really thinking of ptarmigan. The red grouse of the heather lands is also a feather bob tied ptarmigan. Unlike his colder cousins he has but one wardrobe. He does not change to white for winter. For  although far north  the British Isles do not settle down under a winter‑long blanket of snow.