88 A CATALOG VE OF THE BIRDS 



Pamilt. TETEAOMDtE, Leac\\. 

 91. LAGOPUS, Brisson. 

 2. Eed Grouse. L. Scoticus, (Brisson.) 



Teirao Scoticus, Bewick, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, I., 350. 

 Lagopus „ Yarrell, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 2, II., 351. 



This fine resident species is found wherever heather and ling- 

 abound. 



It is generally considered to be peculiar to the British Islands. 

 It comes however so close to L. saliceti or alhus, that the two so- 

 called species can scarcely in the summer dress be distinguished : 

 in size they agree, and in the colour and markings of the plum- 

 age they are the same. And I have the authority of Mr. ISTorman 

 Cookson, that the cry of L. saliceti is exactly like that of the 

 British form. The beak however of the former is usually a little 

 stronger than that of the latter. The change of white, in the 

 winter, of the L. saliceti, is the only distinguishing point of any 

 importance, though L. Scoticus is frequently found, in winter, to 

 have a good deal of white on the under parts, particularly on the 

 median line of the lower parts of the belly and vent. I have an 

 example that was shot in Northumberland, in which the white 

 extends from the breast to the vent, and from flank to flank, the 

 plumage of the belly being a little broken with brown. The les- 

 ser and greater coverts of this specimen are tipped with white, 

 the under coverts are white, and the under tail coverts are largely 

 tipped with white. Another example, likewise in my possession, 

 shows a great deal of white on the belly and on the under tail 

 coverts ; the margin of the wings and the under coverts are also 

 Avhito, and the greater and lesser coverts are tipped with the 

 same ; and I possess the remains of a specimen, that was killed in 

 "Wcardale, which has the primaries, primary coverts, and bastard 

 wing of a pure white, the shafts of the quills are also white. 

 In L. saliceti, however, the shafts of the quills are usually dusky 

 on the upper surface, though I have an individual in which most 

 of tlic shafts are Avhite on both sides. There can therefore be 



