140 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS 



p. 41. See also Millais, "Game Birds," 1894, p. 183, 

 for a detailed account of the seasonal changes of 

 plumage in the Ptarmigan. On the shedding of 

 the claws in Ptarmigan and Grouse, see — 



Nilsson, Rep. Zool. Acad. Sci. Stockholm, 1828, p. 104. 

 Meves, Ofv. Svensk Vet. Akad. Fordhandl., 1871, p. 772. 

 Dresser, "Birds of Europe," vol. vii. p. 189. 

 Stejneger, Amer. Nat, 1884, p. 774 ; Zool, 1887, p. 258. 

 Newton, "Dictionary of Birds," art. Moult, 1894. 

 Tegetmeier, Field, Sept. 24, 1898, with figure. 

 Hartmg, Field, Oct. 1, 1898, and figure by J. G. 

 Millais in his " Game Birds," 1894, p. 138. 



This singular process of shedding the claws has 

 been noticed in other birds of the Grouse family, 

 e.g. the Hazel Hen, Capercaillie, and Black-game. 



The best bags of Ptarmigan in Scotland are 

 credited to the Hon. Geoffrey tlill, who in August 

 and September 1866, at Auchnashellach, shot, on 

 Aug. 25, 122 ; on Aug. 29, 82 ; and on Sept. 17, 

 60 birds. On Aug. 22, 1898, 45J brace were shot 

 in one day at Drumochter, Inverness-shire. The ave- 

 rage weight of a Ptarmigan is 20 oz., or rather less 

 than that of a E-ed Grouse. 



Fam. PHASIANID^. 



PHEASANT. Phasianiis colchicus, Linnaeus. Lengfth, 

 $ 36-5 in., $ 24-5 in. ; wing, ^10 in., ^ S-5 in. ; tarsus, 

 $ 2-75 in., $ 2-5 in. 



The precise date of the introduction of the 

 Pheasant into Great Britain is uncertain ; but there 



