':5Q2 Getieral Notes. [October 



from America with a large quantity of Grouse — viz., a hybrid between the 

 Sharp-tailed Grouse (^Pediceceies p/iasianellus) and the Pinnated Grouse 

 (^Ciipidonia cnpido). The neck ruff is present, but only a quarter of an 

 inch long; the tail, which is brown in the former species and white in the 

 latter, is in the hybrid gray; the sides of the toes are only slightly feath- 

 ered, and the general color of the plumage is intermediate between the 

 two species. This bird, which through the kindness of Mr. Langton is 

 now in my collection, was a male. Almost all wild hybrids are males, 

 which doubtless arises from the more obscure plumage of the females 

 causing them to be passed over, and this applies as much to Ducks and 

 Finches as to Game-birds. As examples may be cited the cross be- 

 tween a Pochard (^Fuligula ferina) and a Nyroca {F. nyroca), the Lin- 

 net {^Linnota cannabina) cum Greenfinch i^L. chloris) cross, and the 

 Blackcock (^Tetrao tetrix) cum Capercaillie (T. iirogallus), which are 

 almost always all males, though females are picked up now and then. Of 

 the Linnet cum Greenfinch cross, although I have examined many males, 

 I have only seen two females, and I imagine that the experience of other 

 observers in England would be the same. 



That no doubt should exist about the hybrid Grouse, it was submitted 

 to Dr. Elliott Coues, who confirmed its origin, adding that he had never 

 seen a specimen before, though he knew of the existence of one, recorded 

 in the 'Nuttall Bulletin' a few years ago.* — ^J. H. Gurney, Jun., North- 

 repps, Norivic/i, England. 



Notes on Lagopus leucurus.^As Dr. Stejneger, in an article in a recent 

 number of the 'American Naturalist,' on the moulting of toe nails in the 

 genus Lagopus, makes no mention of /^. leucurus, the following may be of 

 interest. 



An average of the nails of 22 winter (November to March) specimens 

 gives 7-10-12-10 mm. for the ist, 2d, 3d, and 4th toes respectively, and of 6 

 summer specimens (June and August) gives 6-8-9-8 mm. The extremes 

 are an August bird, measuring 5-7-8-8 mm. and a Februai-y bird, showing 

 8-12-13-11 mm. with claws excessively curved. At first it seemed 

 reasonable lo suppose the shorter summer nails were due to wear on rocks, 

 but one August bird showed the moult to be but partially completed, some 

 of the nails falling off in my hands, and others clinging with but a slight 

 hold. One bird showed a formula as follows: 9-12-11-11 mm., the 

 middle claw being perfect and shorter than the 2d or 4th. 



I failed to detect any positive difference between the summer plumages 

 of male and female, unless it is in the female being more ochraceous. The 

 fineness of the waving and mottling is variable in both sexes. 



The shafts of the primaries are pure white, or white below and either 

 black or dark colored above. The last form is only found in winter birds, 

 and in every case of dark — not black — primary shafts, the webs were 

 spotted with dusky. 



* [By Mr. Brewster, in Vol. II, 1877, pp. 66-68.] 



