176 



blackish brown, barred and vermiculated with ochre, which becomes lighter towards the tail ; wings and 

 tail as in the male, but the inner wing-coverts intermixed with feathers similarly coloured to those on 

 the back ; chin dull ochre marked with white ; underparts generally dull ochre-yellow, barred and 

 vermiculated with black ; centre of the abdomen dirty yellowish white ; under tail-coverts bright 

 ochre, barred with black. Culmen 093, from the nostril to the tip of the bill 037, wing 4'75, 

 tail 4-75, tarsus l - 2. 



Male in autumn (Ofjord, Iceland). Resembles Lagopus mutus in a similar stage of plumage, but is much 

 browner, and not clear grey on the back like that species. 



Nestling (Hafaleita, Iceland, 9th July). Covered with soft down; crown chestnut-red, bordered with black, 

 on the forehead intermixed with yellowish : a white line over the eye joining at the nape; lores and a 

 line through the eye black ; upper parts black, intermixed with reddish and tawny yellow ; underparts 

 dull white, tinged with sulphur grey. 



Winter plumage. Undistinguishable from L. mutus. 



The present species, which, though closely allied to our common European Ptarmigan, is clearly 

 distinguishable from it, except in the winter dress, is found in Iceland, Greenland, and Arctic 

 America, but does not appear ever to have occurred in any part of the main Palsearctic 

 continent, where it is replaced by Lagopus mutus in the high lands, and Lagopus albus in 

 the subalpine regions, the former alone being found in Great Britain, but Lagopus albus is 

 also met with in the Nearctic region. According to Professor Newton the present species is 

 " pretty numerous in Iceland, and not confined to the mere mountain-tops, as are their brethren 

 in Scotland and other parts of Europe, but may be found in almost all places where berries 

 grow." 



In Greenland it is likewise a common bird. Mr. A. Pansch, who collected a series of 

 specimens when on the German Arctic Expedition, says that " they were common throughout 

 the winter on Shannon Island, especially in the lower parts of the island near the harbour, and 

 were seen in coveys of from six to twenty individuals. They were so little shy that they could 

 be killed with ease ; and some were even knocked down with the ramrod. Most of them had 

 their crops filled with small willow sprouts, and leaves and buds of Saxifraga, Cerastium, and 

 Ranunculus; whereas those obtained in August had their crops full of seed-pods and leaves 

 and sprouts of various plants. When the sun appeared they became very rare, and were seldom 

 seen. Dr. Copeland saw a pair on the wing on the 1st of May, which appeared to be still in full 

 winter-plumage ; and he shot a male late in May, which was in full winter dress, except that a 

 few brown feathers were amongst the lesser wing-coverts ; but the comb over the eye, and the 

 testicles, were very fully developed. We only heard the voice of the Ptarmigan once, late in 

 May. It consisted merely of a harsh note. I infer that the Ptarmigan withdraw into the 

 interior during the summer, as they there find a richer vegetation ; whereas in the winter the 

 lowlands near the coast are more favourable, as the storms prevent the snow from collecting, 

 and the birds can reach the willows with greater ease." In America it is stated to occur 

 throughout the Arctic portion of that continent. 



According to Sir John Richardson " Hutchins reports that it is numerous at the two 

 extremities of Hudson's Bay, but does not appear in the middle settlement (York and Severn 



