MOULTING. 125 



indeed, ou the 3i-d of January I shot an individual 

 that still retained a few brown feathers on its head. 

 On the other hand, I have killed males in full winter 

 dress in October." 



M. Genberg, writing from llobertsforss, not far from 

 the town of Umea, in the Gulf of Bothnia, tells us that 

 the moulting of the Dal-Ripa is regulated by the mild- 

 ness or severity of the weather, and by the common 

 people looked upon as a sign of tlie early or late advent 

 of winter. Sometimes it takes place as early as the 

 end of September, when the old birds begin to be white, 

 though they are never fully so until the close of October, 

 and occasionally even later. The young invariably chauge 

 their plumage later in the fall of the year than the old 

 ones. During certain winters they are not fully white 

 even at Christmas. In the spring, however, they retain 

 their white dress longer than their parents." 



M. Wilhelm von Wright, when treating of the moulting 

 of this bird, remarks: "The change of plumage is its 

 only defence against its numerous enemies. In the 

 summer time, when the bird is brown and the ground 

 bare, it is comparatively tame ; whilst in the spring, on 

 the contrary, when the ground is bare and the Kipa has 

 not yet laid aside its winter dress, it is generally exceed- 

 ingly wary, and if its legs will not save it from the 

 fowler, it takes wing a long way ahead of him. This 

 period of the year is most perilous for the Ripa as regards 

 hawks and owls, which, in open and exposed j)laces 

 Avhere the bird usually resorts, are then enabled to descry 

 it from afar." 



The Dal-Ripa, particularly the male, is not very unlike 

 our grouse in the summer season, and on taking flight 

 cackles in a similar manner.* But to say nothing of 



* HLs cry at such times is ^^ err<icknckack-kah.' When lie alights, it is 



