CHAPTER X. 



The FjiillRipa. — SoutLeiu limits in Scandinavia. — Plumage. — Moultinjr. 

 • — Habits. — Eesorts. — Food. — Feeding at Night. ^ The Lek. — 

 Breeding. — Tlie Male a Truant. — Enemies.- — For the Table. 



^T^HE Fjiill-Ripa, in regard to size aucl liabits, much 

 -■- resembles the Scotch Ptarmigan {Lagojms mntus, 

 Auct.) ; but never having shot the latter, excepting in 

 its autumnal dress, I am not prepared to say they are one 

 and the same. There would, indeed, appear to be doubts 

 on this point, for if the Fjall-Ptipa be really identical, as 

 Nilsson believes, with the Tetruo Islandonim of Eaber, 

 which both Yarrell and Faber seem to think a distinct 

 species from the Lagopus inutus, it may turn out that the 

 Ejall-Ripa is another species, or at least variety, of the 

 Tetmo genus. This matter, however, I leave to the 

 decision of the learned. 



The Ejiill-Pipa abovuids on all the alpine ranges of the 

 Scandinavian peninsula, as also on those of the Lofoden 

 and otlier islands lying off the western coast of Norway ; 

 but only above the limits of arborous vegetation, which 

 in the extreme noith are not at anv verv considerable 



