53 [Vol. xxix. 



organs or to injuries to these organs. He made the following 

 remarks : — 



An examination of between 150 and 200 abnormal 

 birds has enabled me to draw the following general 

 conclusions : — 



1. The assumption of complete male plumage in the females 

 of Game-Birds, in a wild state, is most frequent in the 

 Capercaillie {Tetrao urogallus) ^ and in a semi-domesticated 

 state among Pheasants [Phasianus colchicus x). 



2. In the Black Grouse {Lyrurus tetrix (L.)) the partial 

 assumption of male plumage by females is much commoner 

 than in any other bird. In the majority of cases only the long 

 lyre-shaped tail is developed and there is hardly any varia- 

 tion in the colour of the rest of the plumage. Complete 

 assumption of the male plumage is very rare. Among many 

 hundreds of cases Lorenz records only one_, the example 

 here exhibited. Most of the more or less complete examples 

 show curious longitudinal whitish streaks on the breast. 



3. Most examples in which the changes are not due to 

 accident show characters not present 'in normal examples 

 of either sex. In female Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus x ), 

 even when the change is due to direct injury and the 

 assumption of the male plumage is practically complete, the 

 majority have the black edgings to the breast-feathers much 

 smaller or absent, giving the breast a very uniform appear- 

 ance, by which such birds may at once be recognized from 

 males. 



The following specimens were exhibited : — 

 52 females assuming male plumage ;, 

 4 males assuming female plumage ; 

 4 hermaphrodites ; and 

 4 normal birds for comparison. 

 A complete list is given below. Any one who wishes to 

 obtain the fullest information about these changes in the 

 Grouse-tribe should consult the monumental work on 

 " Russian Capercaillies and Black-Game," by the late 

 Dr. Lorenz, of Moscow, which is now being published. 



