PTARMIGAN. 367 



covered with feathers of greyish black and yellow in bars, 

 many of them still retaining the white tips ; in the course 

 of the summer these yellow or very pale chestnut-coloured 

 feathers, barred with greyish black, pervade the breast, 

 sides, and flanks, very similar to those already described, 

 as forming part of the summer plumage of the Bed Grouse. 

 By the beginning of September, the upper surface of the 

 body has become freckled grey, like that of the male, but 

 with a few yellow feathers remaining ; the under surface of 

 the body with some grey feathers among the yellow ones ; 

 the quill-feathers, and some of the wing-coverts, with those 

 on the middle line of the belly, white ; as the autumn 

 advances the yellow-coloured feathers are first lost, after- 

 wards those which are grey, leaving the bird wholly 

 white. 



The length of the female fourteen inches and a half. 

 From the carpal joint to the end of the wing seven inches 

 and a half. 



Mr. Macgillivray says, " The young are at first covered 

 with a light yellowish grey down, patched on the back with 

 brown, and having on the top of the head a light chest- 

 nut mark, edged with darker. When first fledged they 

 are very similar to the young of the Bed Grouse, but 

 banded and spotted with brighter reddish yellow. This 

 plumage soon changes, so that in the beginning of August 

 many of the yellow and brown feathers of the back are 

 exchanged for others spotted and barred with pale grey 

 and brown, and the under parts are white, as well as the 

 wings. These young birds become white the first winter, 

 like older ones." 



The Ptarmigan, Mr. Selby observes, has been reared in 

 confinement without much difficulty, and has been known 

 to breed in a tame state. 



