1882, | PLUMAGE OF THE RED GROUSE. 115 
of black, a deeper colour in the centre, where also some white feathers 
appear; under tail-coverts a good deal tipped with white ; primaries 
very faintly edged with white. 
The back of this bird may be taken as typical of the male Red 
Grouse. 
No. 4. Female, Oct. 21, 1879.—Head and neck brown, with black 
spots. Back and greater wing-coverts brown with black bars, many 
of the feathers having a black spot; primaries much marked with 
white on the outside; secondaries very dark brown, minutely marbled 
with light brown; upper tail-coverts a rich brown, barred and spotted 
with black ; tail black, with a slight marking of brown on the outer 
edge of the outer feathers. Breast and throat yellowish brown, the 
upper part of the former much barred with black, the lower part 
much darker, many of the feathers having an edging of white below 
the black line; the sides again lighter and more coarsely marked ; 
under tail-coverts same as sides. 
No. 5. Male, Nov. 22, 1879.—Head deep reddish brown with 
black bars and markings, the sides of the head being mottled with 
white. Back black, relieved by a few bars of dark and light brown; 
greater wing-coverts deep dusky brown, marked by shadings of a 
rather lighter brown; smaller wing-coverts edged with white ; pri- 
maries slightly edged with the same ; upper tail-coverts deep brown, 
barred with black, a few feathers having a white edging. Chin 
much marked with white; throat deep reddish brown; the top of 
the breast has a circle of nearly black feathers; the centre nearly 
white with a few black feathers, going away at the sides into deep 
reddish brown much marked with black and white; under tail-coverts 
same as sides. 
This is a very well marked specimen of a pretty common variation ; 
I have one almost identical from Skye. 
No. 6. Female, Oct. 31, 1879.—Back of neck aud head dark 
brown with black bars and spots ; sides of neck chestnut-red, some of 
the feathers tipped slightly with white. Back deep brown, with bars of 
black ; some of the feathers have a black spot, and others are edged 
with a lighter brown; greater wing-coverts the same as the back but 
without the black spots, many of the feathers edged with white ; 
lesser wing-coverts also much edged with white ; upper tail-coverts red- 
dish brown with black bars, a few feathers edged with white. Feathers 
of chin edged with white ; upper part of breast rich dark brown, 
barred with black, the edging of white on each feather increasing 
towards the centre of the breast, where the brown nearly disappears, 
the colouring there being black and white; the sides have the bars of 
white and black on the ground-colour more distinct; under tail- 
coverts the same as the sides. Outsides of the primaries edged with 
white. The tail marked and tipped with brown. 
This bird when fresh killed had a most beautiful purple gloss over 
its breast. I have killed this same variation in Ross-shire, but I have 
not found it a very common one. 
No. 7. Male, Noy. 22, 1879.—Back of head and neck very deep 
reddish brown, with black bars and spots, also spots of a lighter 
gk 
