270 BRITISH BIRDS. 



of both species, that there seems no reason to doubt 

 their origin. Such hybrids are evidently extremely rare 

 among these ordinarily monogamous species, for during 

 the last twenty-five years, while I have been connected 

 with the Ornithological Department of the British 

 Museum, no other examples which appeared to be genuine 

 have been submitted for examination. It is true that, 

 from time to time. Grouse have been brought to the 

 Museum which were believed to be hybrids of this kind, 

 but in every instance they seemed to be merely partial 

 albino varieties of the Red Grouse. Mr. J. G. Millais is 

 now of opinion that the bird figured and described by him 

 (c/'. Game Birds and Shooting Sketches, p. 70) as a supposed 

 •example of inter-breeding between these species, must also 

 be regarded as a variety of the Red Grouse, and in this 

 decision I entirely agree with him. This specimen was 

 killed as it was flying with a covey of Grouse, and is 

 j^reserved in the University Museum of Zoology, Cam- 

 bridge. With the exception of the two Grouse now under 

 consideration I am not aware that any other examples of 

 this rare hybrid with any claims to authenticity have been 

 recorded, though it has been stated, in a general way, in 

 various works, that such occasionally occur. It has, 

 therefore, been thought advisable to give figures and a 

 short description of each of these extremely interesting 

 birds. 



Figure 1. This fine adult bird, evidently a male, was 

 killed at Kinloch Rannoch, Perthshire, on the 9th Sep- 

 tember, 1907, by Mr. H. B. Debenham, of Thrifts Hall, 

 Theydon Bois, Essex, and was recorded in the " Field " of 

 5tli October, 1907, p. 631. Mr. Debenham, who was kind 

 enough to lend me the bird for exhibition, has informed 

 me that it was shot on high stony ground at an elevation 

 of about 3000 feet above sea-level, where Ptarmigan were 

 numerous, but Red Grouse seldom seen. Though the bird 

 did not rise with Ptarmigan there were plenty of these 

 birds close to it. The weight was IWb., equal to that of 

 an average old cock Red Grouse. 



