BIRDS — TETRAONIDAE — LAGOPUS EUPESTEIS, 



635 



of settling the synonymy of the different species, and can only call this one Lagopus alhus as a 

 provisional appellation. Bonaparte, in his list of Tetraonidae, in Comptes Kendus XLV, Sept. 

 1857, 428, assigns to America three species: L. rupestris, Lath., with L. americanus, Aud., 

 and lagopus of American writers as synonyms ; L. groenlandicus, Brehm., with L. reinhardlii? 

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

 albus, L. rtmlus, and L. islandorum, Faber, the latter differing from albus in the stouter bill. 

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

 as compared with those from Hudson's bay. As, however, the original Telrao cdbus of Gmelin is 

 based jjrimarily on descriptions of American specimens, such as Lagopede de la Bale de Hudson 

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

 relationship to European forms. 



List of specimens. 



LAGOPUS RUPESTRIS, Leach, 



Rock Ptarmigan. 



Telrao rupestris, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 751. Eased on rock grouse of Pennant. — Latham, Ind. Orn. II, 1790, 

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

 Voyage, 348.— Aud. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 483 ; pi. 368. 



Lagopus rupestris. Leach, Zool. Misc. II, 290.— Bon. List, 1838.— Aud. Syn. 208.— Ib. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 122 ; 

 pi. 301. 



Tetro (Lagopus) rupestris, Swains, P. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 354 ; pi. Ixiv. 



Jiltagcn rupestris, Reich. Av. Syst. Nat. 1851, page xxix. 



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



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

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

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



Ilab. — 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. 



