Gro US-Ptarmigan. RA SORES. LAGOPUS. 427 



longest. Tail generally square at the end. Tarsi and toes 

 completely feathered ; hind toe very short, and barely touch- 

 ing the ground with the tip of the nail. Nails long, and 

 nearly strait. 



The members of this genus (separated by Vieillot from 

 the preceding), are principally distinguished, partly by ha- 

 ving the tarsi and toes entirely clothed with hairy feathers, 

 and the sides of their toes without fringes or pectinations ; 

 the hind toe is also shorter, consisting of little more than a 

 nail, which barely touches the ground. They also differ in 

 their habits, and affect the more exposed parts of the regions 

 where they dwell. They are natives of the colder climates, 

 and are found in very high latitudes within the arctic circle. 

 Their food is composed of the young shoots of heath, the 

 seeds of various grasses, and the several fruits of Empetrum 

 nigrum, Vaccinium vitis-idcea, Arbutus aljnna, and other 

 similar plants. The birds of this genus are all subject to a 

 double moult. 



RED GROUS-PTARMIGAN. 



Tetrao Scoticus, Lath. 



PLATE LIX. Fig. 1. 



Tetrao Scoticus, Lath. Ind. Ornith. v. 2. p. 641. sp. 15. 



Bonasa Scotica, Briss. 1. p. 199. 5. t. 22. f. 1. 



Tetrao I^agopus, var. y and 8. Gmel. Sjst. 1. p. 750. 



Poule de Marais Grous, Cuv. Reg. Anim. v. 1. p. 450. 



Tetras rouge, Temm. Mad. d'Ornith. v. 1. p. 450. 



Tetrao Saliceti, aestate, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 1st ed. only. 



Tetras des Saules, Temm. Pig. et Gall. v. 3. pi. 9. f. 5. 



Red Game, Moor-Cock, Gor-Cock, Rati Syn. p. 54. A. 3 Will. (Ang.) 



p. 177 Albin. 1. t. 23. 24. 



Red Grous, Br. Zool. 1. No. 94. t. AX— Lath. Syn. 4. p. 74(). 13 Id. Sup. 



p. 216 — Lewin's Br. Birds, t. 135. — Mont.' Ornith. Diet Id. Sup 



Wale. Syn. 2. t. 183 Bewick's Br. Birds, 1. p. t. 301 Low's Faun. 



Oread, p. 51. 



This beautiful species, so exclusively British, (as its geo- 

 graphical distribution has not been hitherto found to extend 



