PTARMIGAN. RASORES. LAGOPUS. 431 



than those of a Partridge, and of a greenish-white colour, 

 speckled and blotched with brown and brownish-black. The 

 brood not only continue together till the succeeding spring, 

 but in winter several families associate, forming small flocks ; 

 and at this season they burrow in the snow, under which they 

 find a warm and secure habitation, and are thus enabled, by 

 pursuing the surface of the earth, to obtain a sufficient sup- 

 ply of food during our most severe winters. Alpine berries, Food, 

 such as those of the crawcrook, cranberry, and cloudberry or 

 knoop (Rubus chamaemorus), with the seeds and tender shoots 

 of alpine plants, form their food. 



The flesh of the Ptarmigan is rather drier than that of 

 the Red Grous, and not so highly flavoured ; the latter being 

 considered for the table superior to any other of our feathered 

 game. 



This species has been reared in confinement without much 

 difficulty, and has been known to breed in a tame state. It is 

 widely spread, being found in all the alpine districts of cen- 

 tral Europe ; and in the more northern latitudes it is very 

 abundant. The Common Ptarmigan of North America does 

 not appear to differ in any respect from the European. 



The common call or alarm note of the Ptarmigan is not 

 unlike that of the missel-thrush, but rather harsher in sound. 



PLATE 59. Fig. 2. A male in the winter plumage, and of 



the natural size. 



A streak past the eye, lateral tail-feathers, and shafts of General 

 the quills black ; the rest of the plumage pure white, 

 Above the eyes is a scarlet fringed membrane. Irides 

 yellowish-brown. Bill and claws black. 

 The female in winter plumage differs from the male in 

 being without the black streak before and behind the 

 eye, and also in wanting the red fringed membrane. 



PLATE 59 *. Ptarmigans in spring and summer plumage. 

 Natural si/e. 



