96 



PTARMIGAN SHOOTING. 



grey, or the same colour as the rocks among which 

 they live. 



The common, or White Ptarmigan ; White Grouse 

 of British authors. Sir W. Jardine, whose authority, 

 as a naturalist, is unquestionably great, speaks of 



frequent so-called specimens of this species, Lag opus 

 mutus, thus doubtfully: "This bird, delicately 

 marked in its summer dress, and of a snowy white- 

 ness in that of winter, has generally been considered 

 as a native of both the American and European 

 continents. The comparison, however, of many spe- 

 cimens of grouse, which become white in winter, leads 

 us to believe that the distinction of species is still 

 undetermined. We have seen, however, what we 



