TETRAONIDE. 315 
with white shafts to the feathers, the secondaries 
brownish black at the ends and white towards the 
base; the white showing beyond the greater wing- 
coverts makes a conspicuous bar on the wing-—this 
white bar is easily seen at a distance when the bird 
is flying; the tailis much forked, glossy black, the 
longest of the feathers much curved outwards on 
each side; the belly and flanks are glossy black; the 
under wing and tail-coverts are white; the legs are 
feathered down to the junction of the toes; the toes 
(not feathered as they are in the Red- Grouse and 
the Ptarmigan) are of a blackish brown colour; the 
claws are shining black. As I have not a Grey Hen 
in my collection I have taken the following descrip- 
tion from Yarrell:—‘‘ The beak is brown; irides 
hazel; the general colour of the plumage pale ches- 
nut-brown, barred and feathered with black; the 
dark bars and spots larger and most conspicuous 
on the breast, back, wings and upper tail-coverts ; 
the feathers of the breast edged with greyish white, 
particularly in old birds and in those from northern 
latitudes; under tail-coverts nearly white; feathers 
on the legs pale yellow-brown; toes and claws 
brown.” ‘The young birds are at first much like 
the females, but by the lst of September (at which 
time Heath Poult shooting commences in these parts 
and in the New Forest) the young males have many 
black feathers mixed with the brown ones, which 
gives them a very curious mottled appearance. 
2ER 
