PTARMIGAN. 375 



Our Ptarmigan is found on most of the elevated moun- 

 tain ranges of the continent of Europe, even to Italy. In 

 Spain it is found about the high rocky country of Arragon, 

 where it is called Perdiz blanca. It is found in Russia, 

 and nearly all over Scandinavia and its islands. By the 

 parties employed on the various Northern expeditions 

 which have been sent out from this country, these birds 

 were found at Greenland ; on the west side of Baffin's 

 Bay ; in the country south of Barrow's Strait ; and on the 

 east of Prince Regent's Inlet ; on Melville Peninsula ; at 

 Port Bowen ; and, on a recent voyage, one pair was seen 

 on the east side of the Peninsula of Boothia, latitude 71 

 nearly, and three or four more were seen at Felix Har- 

 bour ; it is also an inhabitant of the northern part of North 

 America. 



It is, however, nowhere more plentiful, according to Mr. 

 Lloyd, than over all the more northern parts of Scandi- 

 navia. " Their usual resorts are the Eyalls, or lofty moun- 

 tains, whose summits are destitute of trees ; but during 

 heavy snow-storms these birds not unfrequently descend to 

 the low country. This has occasionally happened in some 

 of the Norwegian valleys, at which time they have been 

 seen perched in such numbers in the birch trees, that the 

 latter seemed to be altogether clothed in white." I have 

 mentioned that Scandinavia produces a second species of 

 Ptarmigan, besides that which is identical with our own 

 Scottish bird. This second species is the L. saliceti, or 

 Willow Ptarmigan, of some authors, the L. subalpina and 

 Dal-ripa of M. Nilsson, the Swedish naturalist, and is a 

 bird of larger size than the other, which, as before men- 

 tioned, is called by M. Nilsson L. alpina, on account of 

 its generally inhabiting a higher range of ground. Linneus 

 met with both these species when on his Lapland Tour, 

 and under date of July 30th, says, " The little Alpine 



