INTERBREEDING OF RED GROUSE AND BLACK GROUSE 17 



resembles that just described, but is more pied with white. 

 Many of the new grouse-like feathers of the back have 

 white margins, while both the secondaries and the lesser 

 wing- coverts are more conspicuously tipped with white. 

 The breast of this bird, which Mr. Huthart retains, is so 

 nearly of a glossy black, that a close examination is necessary 

 to disclose the reddish bars upon the feathers. Moreover, the 

 white margins of the feathers of the lower parts are broadly 

 fringed with white, so that the centre of the breast appears 

 to be entirely white. 



As for the female birds, that shot on i6th September is 

 much further advanced in plumage than the cock birds. 

 The upper parts are a beautiful red, barred with black, the 

 neck and upper breast recalling to an expert the broadly 

 barred neck of a gray hen. The secondaries of both the 

 female hybrids closely resemble those of a gray hen. The 

 tail is slightly forked like the tail of a gray hen, and the 

 central rectrices are edged with buffy white as in that species. 

 The upper tail-coverts are likewise suggestive of the gray 

 hen ; but a more important character is supplied by the 

 under tail-coverts. These are buffish white, broadly barred 

 with black, and therefore very similar indeed to, if not 

 actually identical with, the under tail-coverts of the gray 

 hen. The wings of both this bird and the bird obtained in 

 October are prettily spotted with white. The lower parts are 

 also varied with white. 



Many of the Red Grouse shot upon Shalloch are pro- 

 fusely pied with white. The male parent of these hybrids 

 would appear to have been a heavily pied individual, at least 

 if the amount of white exhibited by his hybrid offspring be 

 any criterion. Let me observe, in conclusion, that these 

 hybrids exhibit the comb of the Red Grouse, as long ago 

 remarked by Macgillivray. They have longer legs than 

 pure-bred Red Grouse, and stand proportionately higher. 

 The toes are only feathered for a short distance from their 

 base. Not the least curious fact connected with the occur- 

 rence of these birds is the abundance of both Black aud Red 

 Grouse upon the moor where they were apparently bred. Had 

 Black Game been scarce, the pairing of the gray hen with a 

 male Red Grouse would have been much less remarkable. 

 21 C 



