1886. J MR. R. COLLETT ON HYBRID GROUSE. 229 



the description of a single specimen in an old treatise (see below) ; 

 and finally the youn^ 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 patch 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 primaries is white. A more or less 

 conspicuous white band passes tlirougb the eye, and under this a 

 similar black oiie (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 witli narrow vs bite 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 4| millim. 



Although the winter garb is remarkably similar in its general 

 appearance in the difl'erent 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 accoimt of the different plumages I have given in 

 ' Videuskabs-Selskabeta Foi-handliuger, Ohristiauia,' 1872 (p. 238); and ' Nyt 

 Magaziu lor Naturvidcuskaberue,' yol. xxiii. 1877, p. 159, and vol. xxvi. 1881, 

 p. 324. 



