1886. } MR. R. COLLETT ON HYBRID GROUSE. 229 
the description of a single specimen in an old treatise (see below) ; 
and finally the young in down, which is also unknown’. 
Winter Plumage. 
The winter plumage develops itself in Norway during October, and 
as a rule is completed by the latter half of the month. Whilst one 
or two of the males had not moulted the last autumnal feathers in 
the beginning of November, one of the females was in full winter 
plumage on the 7th of October. This, however, was not an 
accidental circumstance, but has its analogy in Lagopus albus, in 
which the change to winter plumage takes place more rapidly in the 
females, although they begin to change later than the males. 
The tarsus and toes are then fully clothed, and the naked outer 
half of the toes is completely hidden by the overlying hair-like 
feathers. 
The male in winter (Plate XXI. fig. 1) has the upper parts black 
with greyish-white, finely freckled edges to the feathers; the under 
surface is white, with an irregular black pateh on the breast which 
may be of greater or less extent, occasionally parted in the middle, 
or so small that there only remain a few black feathers. On the 
flanks a few black feathers are always present, but sometimes hidden 
by the white ones. The wing-coverts are chiefly white, speckled 
with brown. The wing-feathers are brownish black, finely speckled 
with grey ; the outer web of the primariesis white. A more or less 
conspicuous white band passes through the eye, and under this a 
similar black one (including in most cases, but not always, the chin), 
with narrow white edges to the feathers. The upper tail-coverts are 
black with broad white edges; under tail-coverts white. The tail- 
feathers are black with narrow white tips, which almost disappear on 
the outermost ones. The front of the tarsus is greyish. 
The eyebrows are bright red; their height 11 millim., of which the 
upper toothed ridge is 43 millim. 
Although the winter garb is remarkably similar in its general 
appearance in the different individuals, a slight variation in some 
details will always be found. In some the unspotted white parts are 
more extended than in others, while in others the black feathers are 
predominant on the flanks and abdomen. One of the specimens 
in the University Museum (Nov. 1881) was unusually dark, with a 
very large patch on its breast, nearly black scapulars, and numerous 
black feathers on the abdomen. 
The female in winter (Plate XXI. fig. 2) has the upper parts 
banded with black and yellowish brown, and whitish freckled edges 
to the feathers. The ground-colouring of the lower parts is white, 
each feather blackish at base ; the breast and flanks barred with yel- 
lowish brown and black, and edged with white. The wing-coverts are 
speckled with white, greyish brown, and rusty yellow; the wing- 
‘A more detailed account of the different plumages I have given in 
* Videnskabs-Selskabets Forhandlinger, Christiania,’ 1872 (p. 238); and ‘ Nyt 
= ee for Naturvidenskaberne,’ vol. xxiii. 1877, p. 159, and vol. xxyi. 1881, 
p. 324, 
