1886,] MR. R. COLLETT ON HYBRID GROUSE. 237 



ground. In the hybrid specimen the colour and markings of the 

 feathers are a complete mixture of the two species. The upper 

 plumage most resembles Lagopus mutus, as the feathers there and on 

 the flanks are finely speckled with black, but on a somewhat reddish 

 ground, though this is not of so strong a colour as in Lagopus alhus. 

 The pattern on the feathers is almost similar to Lagopus mutus, and 

 the long feathers on the flanks and the upper tail-coverts, which are 

 wanting in distinct cross lines, especially differ from the corre- 

 sponding parts of Lagopus albus. One or two feathers, however, 

 resemble the last species. The cross bands on the head are also 

 much the same as in Lagopus mutus, and thus more dense than in 

 L. alhus, but rather indistinct and irregular. The lores are speckled 

 with traces of the black colour which is peculiar to Lagopus mutus. 



The under-plumage is borrowed most from Lagopus albus, 

 especially in colour. The feathers are transversely barred as in 

 Lagopus mutus, but the colour is red, almost similar to that of 

 Lagopus albus. The fine cross lines are particularly sharply defined 

 and numerous from the bill to the vent, an unknown feature in 

 Lagopus albus. 



This hybrid has, on the whole, adopted the pattern of its feathers 

 from Lagopus mutus, and the colouring (especially underneath) from 

 Lagopus albus. The bill in size was intermediate. 



It is naturally impossible to state which ot the two species supplies 

 the father and which the mother. 



3. Bonasa bonasia and Lagopus albus. — Amongst the specimens 

 belonging to the Upsala Museum sent to me for examination there 

 was a fifth specimen which appeared to be an example of quite a new 

 combination. It was stated by Dr. Kolthoff to have been captured in 

 Jemtland (Sweden) in November or December 1884. The covering 

 of the toes is just the same as that of the normal Rype-Orre. The 

 colour is lighter than any of them, the whole upper parts, and 

 especially the tail-coverts, having broad white (not whitish) edges. 

 The inner hidden j)arts of the back-feathers are particularly dark and 

 somewhat mixed with brown. The tail-feathers, especially at the 

 root, are much mottled with whitish grey, and the outer feathers 

 edged with white on their inner halves. The underside is white, with 

 the throat black, and with dark-coloured but not cross-lined feathers 

 on the flanks hidden under the white. The head is unusually 

 white, with small dark edgings on the feathers of the forehead, and 

 greyish ear-coverts. The inner half of the under tail-noverts is 

 blackish. 



Although the specimen was a male bird with well-defined testes, 

 its size was even less than a female Rype-Orre (wing 181 millim.), 

 and was about the same size as Lagopus albus. It is therefore 

 impossible that this specimen could have been the produce of a 

 cross between Willow-Grouse and Blackcock, Neither is its tail 

 forked, but somewhat rounded (the outer tail-feathers 11.5 millim., 

 the centre ones 118 millim.) and contains but 16 feathers. 



It is therefore more reasonable to suppose this individual to be a 

 cross between Bonasa bonasia and Lagoipus albus, even if one must 



