122 



feathers ; this may be the case in some measure ; the 

 change, however, to which we allude, probably arises from 

 the colouring matter ceasing to circulate during the ex- 

 cessive cold of winter; hence the black of the razor bill 

 will become partially white at that season, and on the re- 

 turn of spring will be restored to its original dark hue, 



The gentlemen who engaged to visit Orkney for the ex- 

 press purpose of procuring birds, and enquiring into the 

 habits of such species as cannot be found inland, particu- 

 larly observed this change in the following genera : 



Scolopax, larus, anas and uria 5 and probably it may be 

 the case with the ptarmigan, which they never met with. 



Mr. Simmons in the 8 vol. Lin. Trans, p. 269, mentions 

 a supposed lusus nature? found in this species ; namely, the 

 trachia was enlarged at the division of the bronchise. 



GENUS XXXIV. 

 PERDIX. 



Bill convex, strong and short; nostrils covered 

 above with a callous prominent rim. No naked skin 

 above the eyes; but in some species more or less 

 warty excrescences round the eyes ; legs naked, some 

 species furnished with spurs behind ; tail short. * 



* Near Sherbourn, Yorkshire, in October 1814, were 

 shot from the same covey, five birds having their bills 

 so much curved upwards as to expose nearly half of the 

 roof of the mouth, so as entirely to prevent the two man- 

 dibles coming in contact; they were young birds of that 

 year, and in full health and well fed. W. 



