126 BRITISH BIRDS’ EGGS. 
COMMON PTARMIGAN. 
Lagopus mutus, Leach. 
Pl. XVIIL, fig. 6. 
Geogr. distr.—Mountains of Asia and N. Europe, also the more 
elevated ranges of 8. Europe: in Great Britain this species appears to 
be confined to the mountainous regions of Scotland. 
Food.—Seeds, berries, buds, leaves, and ground fruit. 
Nest.—A mere depression in the ground, sparingly lined with grass- 
bents or slender twigs. 
Position of nest.—At a considerable height; upon bare stony spots, 
or under the shelter of some small bush or large stone. 
Number of eggs.—8-12. 
Time of mdrfication.—V. 
Hewitson remarks that, “although the Ptarmigan breeds 
in various parts of Scotland, the eggs are very difficult to 
obtain. Its breeding-places are those bare stony spots 
which cover a portion of most of the higher mountain 
ridges, amongst which it finds secure retreat. Its similarity 
of colouring is so great, and its heedlessness of danger is 
such—-for it will remain closely crouched till you approach 
within the shortest distance of it—that it thus eludes dis- 
covery.” —(Ill. Eggs Brit. Birds, vol. ii., p. 236. 
Robert Mudie, in his ‘Feathered Tribes of the British 
Islands’ (vol i., pp. 29,30), says :—‘‘ Usually about the month 
of June they disperse in pairs (they are monogamous), a 
little further down the mountain than their winter haunts, 
and there scrape a circular nest, in which the eggs, varying 
from six to twelve, or fifteen, the average being about ten, 
are deposited.” 
“Tt is, no doubt, in order to find more abundant food, and 
more especially to find insects for the newly-hatched young, 
that the Ptarmigan descends, and chooses during the breed- 
ing season a region having a temperature a little higher.” 
In the above account there appear to be two errors, the 
eggs of the Ptarmigan being laid early in May, and its food 
consisting, as Mr. Seebohm says, ‘‘almost exclusively of 
vegetable substances, such as the seeds, buds, and tender 
shoots of mountain-plants, especially the heath and ling. 
This fare is varied in autumn with berries of various kinds 
and ground fruit.” 
