272 PTARMIGAN. Class II. 



M. Brijfon* joins it with the white partridge of 

 Mr. Edwards^ plate 72. I have received both 

 fpecies at the fame time from Norway^ and am 

 convinced that they are not the fame. 



Thefe two birds differ greatly-, the former being 

 above twice the fize of the Ptarmigan; and the co- 

 lor of its fummer plumage quite different; that 

 of Mr. Edwards^ bird being marked with large 

 fpots of white, and dull orange ; that of the Ptar- 

 migan is of a pale brown or afh-color, elegantly 

 pBscRip. crofled or motled with fmall dufky fpots, and mi- 

 nute bars : the head and neck with broad bars of 

 black, ruft-color, and white: the wings are white, 

 but the fhafts of the greater quil-feathers black : 

 the belly white. In the male, the grey color 

 predominates, except on the head and neck where 

 there is a great mixture of red, with bars of white: 

 but the whole plumage in this fex is extremely 

 elegant. The females and young birds have a 

 great deal of ruft-color in them : both agree in 

 their winter drefs, being intircly white, except as 

 follows : in the male a black line occurs between 

 the bill and the eyes ^ the fhaft of the feven firft 

 quil feathers are black : the tail of the Ptarmigan 

 confifts of fixteen feathers ; the two middle of which 

 are afli-colored, motled with black, and tipt with 

 white; the two next black flightly marked with 

 x^hite at their ends, the reft wholly black ; the fea- 



* Tom, I. /. 216. 



thers 



