Vol. xxiii.] 52 



there are four or more knowa instances of hybrids between 



such diverse species as the Pheasant and the Capercaillie, but 



crosses between Black Grouse and Red Grouse^ or E,ed Grouse 



and Ptarmigan^ are extremely rare. This may be accounted 



for by the fact that the first-named is polygamous^ whilst both 



the Red Grouse and Ptarmigan are monogamous. Previous 



to the two specimens exhibited^ I have only seen two 



examples of the cross between Black Grouse and Red 



Grouse, both killed in Scotland. Mr. J. A. Jones spoke 



to me one day concerning two Grouse which he and his 



son had killed at Llanerch bog, near Bala, North Wales, 



in August 1908. On examination they proved to be 



undoubted hybrids between the last-named species. Both are 



immature birds, male and female, and exhibit very clearly 



the characteristics of both parents. The back, wings, and 



scapulars are similar to those of the immature Black Grouse, 



whilst the new plumage, coming in on the breast and flanks, 



is like that of the " White '' form of the Red Grouse, being 



deep chestnut and black widely tipped with white. The 



feet, legs, and forked tail (in the case of the male the tail is 



missing) are similar to those of the larger parent. All the 



seven young birds in the covey were killed, and they are now 



in the possession of Mr. J. A. Jones, who has kindly allowed 



this pair to be exhibited. Neither of the parent birds 



Avas seen. It seems a great pity that the whole covey was 



destroyed, for had any reached maturity they Avould have 



been very beautiful and interesting birds, quite dissimilar 



to the other specimens of this hybrid that I have seen. 



''Mr. H. E. Forrest, in 'The Vertebrate Fauna of North 

 Wales,-* states (p. 107) that he has seen what appears to be a 

 hybrid between the Black and the Red Grouse in the posses- 

 sion of Mr. Foster of Bettws-y-Coed ; the specimen at as shot 

 at Yspythy Moor on the 20th of November, 1897. Mr. Foster 

 also procured a similar specimen on the 9th of December, 

 1895." 



Mr. Ogilvie-Grant remarked that it was many years before 

 he was able to obtain an example of this hy])rid for the Bird- 



