372 gallinjE. 



The Hondo Copper Pheasant was probably differentiated in the 

 main island of Japan, but may have been introduced into some of 

 the other islands in a few localities. 



379. TETRAO MUTUS, 



(COMMON PTARMIGAN.) 



Tetrao mutua, Montin, Sallsk. Handl. Lund, i. p. 155 (nirca 1780). 



The Common Ptarmigan is variously mottled witit brown, buff, 

 and grey in the breeding-season, but the wings are always white, and 

 the whole plumage (except the lores of the male) is white in winter. 

 Figures : Dresser, Birds of Europe, vii. pi. 477. fig. 1 (autumn 

 plumage), pi. 478 (summer plumage). 



The Ptarmigan breeds on the main island of Japan at an elevation 

 of nearly 10,000 feet above the level of the sea, whence I have an 

 example of an adult female and young in down, collected by Mr. Miwa 

 in July on Renge-yama, one of the more westerly peaks of the Tate- 

 yama range, about a hundred miles north-west of Yokohama 

 (Seebohm, Ibis, 1884, p. 35). The example in winter plumage, 

 obtained by Mr. Snow on the Kuriles (Seebohm, Ibis, 1884, p. 179), 

 may also belong to this species, the male of which has black lores 

 in winter. 



The Ptarmigan is a circumpolar species, and breeds in Scotland 

 and various mountain-ranges in Europe and across Asia to Japan. 

 There are several local races of this species, but it is not known that 

 Japanese examples differ from Scotch ones. 



It was long ago recorded from the Kurile Islands (Pallas, Zoogr. 

 Rosso-Asiat. ii. p. 64) ; and the fact that some of the examples 

 obtained in winter by Mr. Snow on these islands have black lores 

 (Seebohm, Ibis, 1884, p. 179), whilst others (received since that date, 

 and presumably females) have white lores, appears to prove that the 

 Kurile Island species is not the Willow- Grouse, though it may still 

 be an open question whether it be or be not the Rock-Ptarmigan, 

 Tetrao muius rupestris. 



The Rock-Ptarmigan is difficult to distinguish from the allied 

 races ; but it is said that neither sex ever acquires the dark breast 

 characteristic of the spring plumage of the cocks of the typical 

 form. 



