( 270 ) 



THE BRITISH BLACK GROUSE. 



Lyrnrus tetrix hritannicus, siibsp. nov. 



BY 



H. F. WITHERBY and EINAR LONXBERG. 



That the British Greyhen differs from tlie typical 

 Scandinavian })ird {Lyrurus t. tetrix) has for some years 

 been suspected by Witherby, Mho has been waiting to 

 obtain sufficient material before coming to a definite con- 

 clusion. Recently Lonnberg, on comparing a Scottish 

 killed Greyhen Avith Swedish birds, also noticed the 

 differences between them. Having now carefully ex- 

 amined a good series of skins we are able to desciibe 

 the British Black Grouse as distinct as follows, imder 

 the name of 



Lykurus tetrix britannicus, subsp. nov. 

 Female. — Like that of Lyrurua t. tetrix but in general 

 coloration more suffused with rufous-l.>roMn and differing 

 in the following points : (1) The ^hite and greyish- white 

 tips to the greater and median AAing-coverts and longer 

 scapulars in L. t. ieirix are either entirely wanting or 

 scarcely noticeable in the British form. (2) The rump 

 and upper tail-coverts in the British form are suffused 

 wdth rufous-broAvn, whereas in Scandinavian birds the 

 tips of the feathers of these parts are usually \ermi- 

 culated Avith grey. ScanclinaAdan Greyhens are also 

 frequently glossed Avith blue on the upper-parts and 

 specially on the rump, but the British bird A^ery rarely 

 has the slightest tinge of blue gloss. (3) The British 

 form is very little marked with grey on the breast, 

 whereas in the typical form the breast is A'ery distinctl}'- 

 marked Avith grey or greyish-AAhite. (4) The belly in 

 the British bird is barred Avith rufous-broAAn and 

 black, Avhereas in the ScandinaAdan form it is almost 

 invariably much blacker, often barred Avith greyish- 

 Avhite and seldom A\ith broAvn, and often almost entirely 

 dull black Avithout bars. (5) The under tail-coAcrts of the 

 British form are A^ery much more suffused A\ith rufous 



