ROCK PTARMIGAN. 123 



along the coast of Hudson's Bay to latitude 58°, and in severe seasons still 

 farther to the southward. It also occurs on the Rocky Mountains as far 

 south as latitude 55°. It exists in Greenland, is common in Norway, is 

 known in Sweden by the name of Sno Rissa, and is the species most 

 frequent in the Museums of France and Italy under the name of Tetrao 

 Lagopus. It is not a native of Scotland. The Rock Grouse in its manners 

 and mode of living resembles the Willow Grouse, except that it does not 

 retire so far into the woody country in winter. Contrary, however, to what 

 Hearne says, it is frequent in open woods on the borders of lakes in that 

 season, particularly in the 65th parallel of latitude, though perhaps the bulk 

 of the species remains on the skirts of the Barren Grounds. It hatches in 

 June. The ground colour of the egg is, according to Captain Sabine, a pale 

 reddish-brown, and is irregularly spotted and blotched with darker brown." 

 Specimens in my possession, coloured as here described, average one inch 

 and five-eighths in length, by an inch and an eighth in breadth. 



Tetrao (Lagopus) rupestris, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 354. 



Rock Grouse, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 610. 



Rock Grodse, Tetrao rupestris, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iv. p. 483. 



Male, 13^, wing, 7jf. 



Breeds from Labrador to the Arctic Seas. Rocky Mountains. Abun- 

 dant. Migratory. 



Adult Male in winter. 



Bill short, robust; upper mandible with the dorsal outline curved, the 

 ridge and sides convex, the edges overlapping, the tip declinate, thin edged, 

 but rounded; lower mandible with the angle short and wide, the dorsal line 

 convex, the back broadly convex, the sides rounded, the edges inflected, the 

 tip blunt. Nostrils basal, roundish, concealed by feathers. 



Head small, ovate; neck of moderate length; body bulky. Feet of 

 ordinary length, robust; tarsus feathered, as are the toes, the first toe very 

 small, the middle toe much longer than the lateral, which are nearly equal, 

 the inner being a little longer. Claws slightly arched, depressed, broad, 

 with thin edges and rounded at the tip. 



Plumage compact, the feathers generally ovate and rounded; those on the 

 tarsi, toes, and soles oblong, with loose stiffish barbs. Wings rather short, 

 concave; the primaries strong, narrow, tapering, pointed; the first an inch 

 and seven-twelfths shorter than the second, which is four-twelfths shorter 

 than the third, this being the longest, but only exceeding the fourth by a 

 twelfth and a half. Tail rather short, nearly even, of sixteen broad feathers, 



