COMMON PTARMIGAN. 199 



On the whole, I am inclined to think that these birds are different 

 from both Lagopus mutus and L. rupestris of authors ; but a more exten- 

 sive comparison of individuals from North America, Europe, and Scot- 

 land, would be necessary to extricate these birds from confusion. 



Since the above was written I have found among my specimens of 

 Ptarmigans, one which agrees in all essential respects with Lagopus 

 mutus, and which could not be distinguished from several specimens of 

 the Scottish Ptarmigan, which I have seen. 



Its general form is that above described, its bill more slender than 

 that of the Rock Grous, its claws rather narrow, with the sides parallel, 

 and the tip obtuse, the fourth quill is longest, exceeding the third by 

 two-twelfths of an inch, the second an inch and a quarter shorter, and 

 exceeding the first by an inch and a half, the tail, of sixteen feathers, 

 is even, but the middle feathers exceed the rest by a twelfth and a half. 

 The bill is brownish-black, paler at the end. The claws dusky, 

 yellowish-brown toward the edges. The bird was passing from its 

 summer state to the winter plumage, and has therefore a nimiber of 

 white feathers above ; but the head, cheeks, and hind neck are covered 

 with feathers, band rather narrowly with dusky and light yellowish-red ; 

 the back, scapulars, rump, and upper tail-coverts, are minutely undu- 

 lated and dotted with dusky, light yellowish-brown, and greyish-white, 

 with some large patches of brownish-black. On the fore part of the 

 neck and sides, are some feathers similarly coloured. The wings are 

 white, with the exception of a few of the inner secondaries, and one or 

 two coverts, and the brown shafts of six of the primaries. The lower 

 parts white. The two middle tail-feathers are white, but only growing, 

 the rest brownish-black, narrowly tipped with white, the loral band is 

 black. 



Length to end of tail 14f inches ; bill along the ridge -^^ ; wing 

 from flexure 8j ; tail 4tg ; tarsus l/^ ; middle toe j^, its claw xV 



