230 MR. R. COLLETT ON HYBRID GROUSE. [Apr. 20, 



feathers are brownish black, finely speckled with grey. A whitish 

 stiipe passes through the eye, under this a browu one. The upper 

 tail-coverts irregularly barred witli black, greyish brown, and yellowish 

 brown, with broad white edges. The under tail-coverts white, 

 sometimes a few feathers banded with rusty. The tail-feathers are 

 black, with the outer web speckled brownish grey or whitish, and 

 white-tipped ; the centre pair entirely mottled. The front of the 

 tarsus as in tlie male. 



Thus in winter plumage there exists this difference between 

 the sexes, that those parts which in the male are black Avith white 

 edgings to the feathers, are more or less mottled brown in the female, 

 and instead of the male's black spot on the breast the female has the 

 breast barred with yellowish brown. Of the three females from 

 Sweden which at present^are preserved in the Upsala Museum, two 

 (Jemtland, Feb. 1886 ; Angermanlnnd, Jan. 1861) are normal, and 

 on the whole similar to the before-mentioned Norwegian specimens. 

 The last is, however, rather light-coloured : thus the barred feathers 

 on the flanks are quite covered with white ones, so that these 

 portions seem to be unspotted ; the throat likewise is snowy white. 

 Both are young individuals ; this is seen by their slender and unworn 

 beaki. 



The third female (Jemtland, January 1885) was somewhat 

 different, and very dark in colour, without any part of its abdomen 

 being entirely white. This was an old bird, tbe beak coarse and 

 well-worn on the edges and point. The ovary was (according to 

 Dr. Kolthoflf) plainly visible. On the rumj) several well-worn 

 autumnal feathers with brown cross lines remained amongst the 

 white winter feathers. Its essential peculiarities were as follows : — 

 On tiie upper parts, wings, and tail normal, though intermingled 

 with a somewhat stronger reddish-brown colour. Tbe whole of 

 the lower half from the beak to the rump evenly furnished with 

 broad brown and black cross bands ; a few feathers quite white, 

 others had white edges. In other respects like the former ones. 

 Size normal. 



AltliGugh this specimen was decidedly more darkly coloured under- 

 neath than the others, its general characteristics in markings and 

 shajie were otherwise quite in conformity with them. 



Summer Plumage. 



The period in the s])ring at which the individuals begin to change 

 their winter plumage is unknown. All the specimens which I have 

 examined were captured in the months October to February ; and on 

 a specimen in the Museum at Bergen, shot in Voss (Bergen Stift) 

 about the 1st March 1868, there is yet no trace of spring plumage 

 visible. 



Whilst the spring plumage of the Rype-Orre is as yet unknown, 

 there exists one account of a specimen in its summer garb. In 

 1823 Mr. Sommerfelt, jun.', in ' Magazin for Naturvidenskaberne,' 



1 A son of the Mr. Sommerfelt who is mentioued above (p. 225) as having 

 for the first time brought to notice its liybrid character. 



