318 A SPRING AND SUMMER IN LAPLAND. 



the willow grouse, as well as in the female ptar- 

 migan. Moreover, in the willow grouse the fifth 

 wing-feather is always longer than the second, in 

 the ptarmigan it is always shorter; and in the 

 winter season the only distinguishing marks be- 

 tween the female ptarmigan and willow grouse, 

 are the difference in the wing-feathers, and that 

 the willow grouse is a more robust bird, with a 

 much thicker beak. I may add that very few of 

 the white grouse, which are sent from the north 

 to England in the winter to the London markets 

 are the real ptarmigan, but willow grouse. The 

 true ptarmigan is seldom taken in snares, for the 

 wild snow-covered regions which they frequent in 

 the winter are rarely accessible to man ; and 

 although at this season they may come lower down 

 on the fells, they are never seen in the forests 

 which the willow grouse frequents ; whereas the 

 latter bird, at no season shy, in the winter becomes 

 still tamer, and comes right down into the bushes 

 close to the dwellings of man. Thousands are 

 then caught in snares, and those snares in use at 

 Quickiock are formed thus : after cutting all the 

 branches from a young birch, about six feet or eight 

 feet long, a horsehair snare is fastened to the top 

 end, which is bent down, and stuck into the snow, 

 so that the snare stands about a hand over the 

 surface. A little hedge of birch branches is built 



