352 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Instinctive knowledge Description. 



be restless, and to flutter with unusual agitations, 

 regularly in September and April; and this un- 

 easiness lasted thirty days at each time. It began 

 constantly about an hour before sunset. The 

 birds passed the whole night in these fruitless 

 struggles ; and always on the following day ap- 

 peared dejected and stupid. 



THE PTARMIGAN 



IS in length about fifteen inches, being some- 

 what larger than a pigeon. Its bill is black, and 

 its plumage, in summer, is of a pale brown co- 

 lour, elegantly mottled with small bars, and dusky 

 spots. The head and neck are marked with 

 broad bars of black, rust-colour, and white. The 

 wings and belly are white. 



The ptarmigans moult in the winter months, 

 and change their summer dress for one more 

 warm, and instead of having their feathers of 

 many colours, they then become white. By a 

 wonderful provision, every feather also, except 

 those of the wings and tail, become double; a 

 downy one shooting out of the base of each 

 which gives an additional protection against the 

 cold. In the latter end of February a new plu- 

 mage begins to appear, first about the rump, in 

 brown stumps : the first rudiments of the coat 

 they assume in the warm season, when each fea- 

 ther is single. In answer to enquiries made by 



