96 PTARMIGAN. 



perceiving a person approach, generally leaves it, 

 and is only discovered by her motion over the rocks, 

 or her low clucking cry. In winter they descend 

 lower, but seldom seek the plains. In Ireland, Mr. 

 Thomson states, " it is not now, nor do I consider 

 it ever was, indigenous/' 



Both sexes in winter are pure white, except the 

 space between the bill and the eyes, the outer tail- 

 feathers, and the shafts of the quills, which are deep 

 black in the young birds. In seasons intermediate 

 from the breeding season the darker feathers or 

 clouded markings are generally grey, or brownish- 

 grey, mottled with black. In the female, we be- 

 lieve the breeding state to be rich ochreous-yellow, 

 barred and cut into with large masses of black, the 

 pure white of the lower parts and shoulders remain- 

 ing. We are uncertain, however, whether this 

 change takes place in the male at the commence- 

 ment of the season of incubation, or if, during the 

 heat of the love season, he retains his pure plumage, 

 commencing his change and moult to grey when 

 the female begins to sit. The length of the male 

 specimen before us, in this intermediate state, is 

 sixteen inches. 



We have, in this place, to notice another bird, 

 which has lately gained a place in the British list 

 as a distinct species, and we give a figure of the 

 L. rupestris, both as illustrating the form of Lago- 

 pus, and as showing the appearance of the bird to 

 which we have now to refer. 



