BLACK GROUSE. 



361 



In Sweden there are two species of Ptarmigan ; one of 

 them, identical with the Ptarmigan of this country, inhabits 

 the mountains, and is called by M. Nilsson, in consequence, 

 alpina ; the other, a larger bird, which inhabits the plains 

 and valleys, is called by M. Nilsson subalpina. With this 

 latter species hybrids have been produced with the Black 

 Grouse, but these seem to be exceedingly rare. M. Nilsson 

 appears to have seen five examples, one of which being 

 figured in his coloured illustrations of the Fauna of Scan- 

 dinavia, I am enabled to insert a representation of this 

 prettily-marked bird. In a letter received from T. 

 Macpherson Grant, Esq., of Edinburgh, that gentleman 

 says, " When in Norway last summer, I saw, preserved at 

 Christiana, several specimens of hybrids between the Black 

 cock and the Capercailzie, a circumstance said to be of not 

 very uncommon occurrence. I saw also in Mr. Eskmark's 

 collection a specimen of a hybrid betwixt the Black cock 



