208 LAGOPLS CINEREUS. 



unless it thinks it has been observed, should generally elude 

 the most diligent search. 



YouxG. — The young are at first covered v^^ith a light yellow- 

 ish-grey down, patched on the back with brown, and having 

 on the top of the head a light chestnut mark, edged with darker. 

 When fledged, they are very similar to the young of the Brown 

 Ptarmigan, but banded and spotted with brighter reddish- 

 yellow. This plumage soon changes, so that in the beginning 

 of August many of the yellow and brown feathers of the back 

 are exchanged for others spotted and barred with pale grey 

 and brown, and the under parts are white, as well as the 

 wings. 



Progress toward Maturity. — Young birds become w^hite 

 the first winter like older ones ; but their spots and bars are at 

 first larger, and continue so in a less degree the second sum- 

 mer. In old birds the dark markings are reduced to very slen- 

 der undulated lines, or even to series of dots. 



Remarks. — It has been made apparent by the preceding de- 

 scription that the Grey Ptarmigan exhibits very considerable 

 differences in the tints and markings of its coloured plumage, 

 and also that it varies in size, like the Red Ptarmigan and the 

 Partridge, probably from some diiference in its food, or in the 

 abundance in which it may be procured. In the next place, 

 I have to remark that a dissimilarity as to size, in birds other- 

 wise similar, in recent specimens, and still more in individuals 

 represented by skins stuffed according to the varying tastes of 

 preservers of natural objects, is not a sufficient ground on 

 which to found the assertion of such birds being of different 

 species. Thirdly, Ptarmigans obtained in summer will be 

 somewhat smaller than others of the same species obtained in 

 autumn and winter, because they will in the former season be 

 more or less in moult, and their tail-feathers do not attain their 

 full length until the end of November. These things are ob- 

 vious, and cannot be denied. 



Now, if we consider the descriptions given by authors of 

 their Rock Ptarmigan or Grouse, Laaopus or Tetrao rupestris 



