BIRDS TETRAONIDAE LAGOPUS RDfESTRIS. 



na.'i 



of settling the synonymy of the diflerent species, and can only call this one Lagopus albm as a 

 provisional appellation. Bonaparte, in his list of Telraouidae, in Coniptes Kendus XLV, Sept. 

 185Y, 428, assigns to America three species: L. rupeslrls, Lath., witli L. americanus , Ami., 

 and hijopus of American writers as synonyms ; L. yroenlandicus, Erehm., with L. rcinhardlii ? 

 Brehm, as synonyms, and L. leucurus. The European white ptarmigans are given as L. 

 albits, L. mulus, and L. tslandorum, Faber, the latter differing from albiis in the stouter hill. 

 It will be noted that this difference of bill appears to characterise the Newfoundland ptarmigan 

 as compared witli those from Hudson's bay. As, however, the original Tdrao albus o{ GmcWn is 

 bast'd jirimarily on descriptions of American specimens, such as Lagopede de la Bate de Hudson 

 of Buffon, White partridge of Ellis, &c., it will be proper to use it here, whatever be its 

 relationship to European forms. 



List of specimens. 



LAGOPUS RUPESTRIS, Leach 



Itock I'tarmigan. 



Tttrao rupeslris, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 751. Based on rock grouse of Pennant. — Latham, Ind. Orn. 11, 1790, 

 312. — Sadive, Supplem. Parry's First Voyage, page cxcv. — Richardson, Append. Parry's Second 

 Voyage, 348.— Acn. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 4S3 ; pi. 368. 



Lagopus rupestris, Leach, ZooI. Misc. 11, 290.— Bo-j. List, 1838.— .\uD. Syn. 208.— Is. Birds Amur. V, 1842, 122 ; 

 pi. 301. 



Tctro (Lagopus) rupeslris, Swains, F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 354 ; pi. Ixiv. 



.9ltagen rupeslris, Rcicii. Av. Syst. Nat. 1851, page xxix. 



Rock grouse, Pennant, Arctic Zool. II, 312. 



Sp. Ch. — Bill slender ; distance from the nasal groove to tip greater than height at base. In summer the feathers of back 

 black, banded distinctly with yellowish brown and tipped with white. In winter white, the tail black ; the male with a black 

 bar from bill through eye. Size considerably less than that of L. aWus. Length about 14.50 inches ; wing, 7.50 ; tail, 4.50. 



Hob. — -Arctic America 



Bill from the nasal groove considerably longer than the greatest depth of both mandibles 

 taken together. Gonys about equal to width of lower mandible below. First quill intermediate 

 between sixth and seventh. Claws very large and broad, equal to the culmen. Tail of fourteen 

 black feathers and four middle white ones. Tail about two-thirds the length of wings. 



