CLASS II. AVES: ORDER 5. RASORES. 



241 



PTARMIGANS. 



has little sagacity, but owes its safety chiefly to being of the same color as the rocks and 

 hchens among which it is found. It is met with in the mountainous countries of Europe from Italy 

 to Scandinavia. It is also said to have been found in Greenland and in North America ; but 

 this is thought by Audubon to be erroneous. Beside great numbers sent to the London market 

 from different parts of the British Islands, game dealers from this metropolis visit Norway and 

 Sweden in the winter, and take away almost incredible quantities of these birds. In 18-tO we 

 are told that in one week a single poulterer in Leadenliall market received fifteen thousand 

 ptarmigan, which had been consigned to him ; another dealer, during the same period, received 

 seven hundred capercailles and five hundred and sixty black grouse. 



Two other species of grouse are found in Norway, the Dal-ripa of Scandinavia — Tetrao subal- 

 pina of Nilsson — T. saliceti of Temminck ; the Willow Grouse, L. albu.s, of Audubon ; the White 

 Grouse of Baird, and a smaller species, L. alpina, which Yarrell regards as the Common Ptar- 

 migan, L. vulgaris. The former is seventeen inches long; variegated with black, chestnut, and 

 white above ; below pure white. In America, it is found from Maine to the Fur Countries;, abun- 

 dant in Labrador. 



The American Ptarmigan — L. Americanus of Audubon — is fourteen and a half inches long; 

 color pure white ; found in the northern parts of North America. It has been mistaken for the 

 L. vulgaris of Europe. 



The Rock Ptarmigan, L. rupestris, resembles the Willow Grouse, but is smaller, being thirteen 

 and a half inches long. Its winter plumage is white. It is abundant, and migrates from Labra- 

 dor to the Arctic Seas; Richardson says it is known in Sweden under the name of Sno Jiis.m, 



The White-tailed Ptarmigan, Z. leucurus, is twelve inches long; above variegated with 

 blackish-brown, wood-brown, and brownish-white ; beneath pale ocher ; found in the Rocky 

 Mountains. 



The Catalogue of the Smithsonian Institution has also Franklin's Grouse, Tetrao Franklinii ; 

 Gray Mountain Grouse, Bonasa umbelloides ; and Oregon Grouse, B. Sabinii. 



Vol. II.— .31 



