THE PTARMIGAN. 



The Ptarmigan is somewhat larger than a pigeon. Its bill is 

 black ; and its plumage, in summer, is of a pale brown colour, 

 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. 



These birds 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. Dy a won- 

 derful provision every feather also, except those of the wings 

 and tail, becomes 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 plumage begins to appear, 

 first about the rump, in brown stumps : the first rudiments of 

 the coat they assume in the warm season, when each feather is 

 single. In answer to enquiries made by Sir Joseph Banks, Dr. 

 Solander, and some other naturalists, from Captain George 

 Cartwright, who resided many years on the coast of Labrador^ 

 on the subject of the grouse changing their colour, he says, 

 " I took particular notice of those I killed, and can aver, for a 

 fact, that they get at this time of the year (September) a very 

 large addition of feathers, all of which are white ; and that the 

 coloured feathers at the same time change to white. In spring, 

 most of the white feathers drop off, and are succeeded by col- 

 oured ones ; or, I rather believe, all the white ones drop off, and 

 they get an entirety new set. At the two seasons they change 

 very differently : in the spring beginning at the neck, and spread- 



