386 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Black Grouse and Capercaillie frequently interbreed, and 

 there are four or more known instances of hybrids between 

 such diverse species as the Pheasant and the CapercaiUie, but 

 crosses between Black Grouse and Red Grouse, or Red Grouse 

 and Ptarmigan, are extremely rare. Mr. J. A. Jones spoke 

 to me one day concerning some Grouse which he and his 

 son had killed at Llanerch bog, near Bala, North Wales, in 

 August, 1908. On examination they proved to be undoubted 

 hybrids between Black and Red Grouse. All the seven 

 young birds in the covey were killed, but only two 

 were preserved ; these exhibit very clearly the characteristics 

 of both parents. The back, wings, and scapulars are 

 similar to those of the immature Black Grouse, whilst 

 the new plumage, coming in on the breast and flanks, 

 is like that of the '' White " form of the Red Grouse, being 

 deep chestnut and black widely tipped with white. The 

 feet, legs, and forked tail are similar to those of the larger 

 parent. Neither of the parent birds was seen. It seems a 

 great pity that the whole covey was destroyed, for had any 

 reached maturity they would have been very beautiful and 

 interesting birds, quite dissimilar to the other specimens of 

 this hybrid that I have seen. 



Mr. H. E. Forrest, in " The Vertebrate Fauna of North 

 Wales," states (p. 107) that he has seen what appears to be a 

 hybrid between the Black and the Red Grouse in the posses- 

 sion of Mr. Foster of Bettws y-Coed ; the specimen was shot 

 at Yspythy Moor on the 20th of November, 1897. Mr. Foster 

 also procured a similar specimen on the 9th of December, 

 1895. 



By the kindness of Mr. J. A. Jones I was enabled to exhibit 

 the two specimens referred to above — a male and female — at 

 the meeting of the British Ornithologists' Club, held on 

 January 20th last. 



J. G. MiLLAIS. 



An immature male of the hybrid between the Red Grouse and 

 Black Grouse was killed on October 6th, 1908, by Mr. F. W. 

 Stobart, in Glen Troot, Kirkcudbrightshire, where Black Grouse 

 are extremely plentiful. It was shot during a drive when 

 flying in company with four Red Grouse. The bird is exactly 

 of the same type as the two adult males already in the 

 British Museum (one of these was one of two adult males killed 

 at Millden, Forfarshire, on October 1st, 1900, by Mr. J. L. 

 Cadwalader, while the other, presented by Lord Tweedmouth, 

 bears no particulars regarding its capture), but it still retains 



