NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 



357 



between Ptarmigan and Grouse (p. 188). Of this bird Mr. Millais 

 writes : — 



" One would imagine that from the close association and similarity 

 of structure of the two species, Grouse and Ptarmigan would frequently 

 be found breeding together ; but such is far from being the case. There 

 is no perfectly authenticated instance of such a hybrid, and I have only 



Supposed Hybrid between Ptarmigan and Grouse, 



given the illustration of this supposed cross because it is believed to be 

 such by more than one eminent ornithologist. This bird possesses all 

 the points that such a hybrid should have, the head and neck closely 

 resembling the head of an autumn hen Ptarmigan, and the tail and 

 tail-coverts being also alike, so that the bird is as likely as not to be a 

 genuine hybrid of the two species. It was shot on the 1st Sept. 1878, 

 by Mr. W. Houston, a well-known veteran Highland sportsman. He 

 killed it on the Ptarmigan ground above his house at Kintradwell, 

 Brora, Sutherland, as it was flying with a covey of Grouse. After- 



