114 ^- L- V. Manniche. 



The young Ptarmigans are persecuted by Foxes and Ermines as 

 well as by Ravens, Falcons and Snowy Owls. 



As to the old birds, Falcons are certainly the most dangerous 

 enemies. 



Judging from the leavings at the Falcons nest it is, however, 

 only tew Ptarmigans, that in this way are destroyed. 



The moult of the Ptarmigans of N.-E. Greenland. 



In the countries explored by the expedition the laying of the 

 eggs — as said before — generally takes place in the first half of 

 June. 



As in other countries the chicks will in a relatively early age 

 get their flight-feathers, which make them able to fly. 



In the first plumage the chicks have undulating lines on the 

 dorsal feathers which have black ground. The cross-bands on the 

 black ground, which give the feathers their undulated exterior, are 

 of a white-greyish-yellow colour. 



The feathers of the shoulders and the middle of the back are 

 principally black with but a few pale tips of the above named colour. 



The feathers on the breast and fore-neck are white-greyish-yellow 

 with dark-grey cross-bands and quite similar to those of the sides 

 of the body. The belly and under tail coverts are greyish-white. 

 The primaries are pale greyish with lighter markings. 



The fledgelings will from this plumage pass over into the first 

 dark plumage of the grown bird. (3 skins in this stage are at hand: 

 2 females and 1 male shot on Rypefjeldet August 29"^ 1906.) 



These young birds have lost almost all their grey primaries, 

 which are now replaced by the white ones of the old birds. 



The tail now consists of well developed feathers which are of 

 a China-ink colour with narrow white bands on their tips. The 

 feathers of the abdomen, the under tail coverts and the feet are 

 white. 



The feathers of the back, the fore-neck and the head partly 

 belong to the first plumage of the young bird having, as already 

 mentioned, broad undulating lines on a black ground, and partly to 

 the first plumage of the grown up bird showing fine undulating 

 lines; the colour is greyish-yellow-brown with thin black bands in 

 zig-zag lines. 



From this plumage the young Ptarmigan passes over into its 

 first complete winter-plumage, which is white with exception of the 

 lores, the tail and the shafts of the primaries, which are black. 



All the males in winter plumage have black lores and the black 

 colour is always continued a little behind the eye of the bird. The 

 majority of the females also have black lores, but in many birds 



