272 
DESCRIP. 
POT. AOR MUG AUN. Crag 
M. Briffon™ joins it with the white partridge of 
Mr. Edwards, plate 72. I have received both 
fpecies at the fame time from Norway, and am 
convinced that they are not the fame. — 
Thefe two birds differ greatly, the former being 
above twice the fize of the Ptarmigan; and the co- 
lor of its fummer plumage quite different; that 
of Mr. Edwards bird being marked with large 
{pots of white, and dull orange; that of the Prar- 
migan is of a pale brown or afh-color, elegantly 
crofied or motled with fmall dufky fpots, and mi- 
nute bars: the head and neck with broad bars of 
black, ruft-color, and white: the wings are white, 
but the fhafts of the greater quil-feathers black: 
the belly white. In the male, the grey color 
predominates, except on the head and neck where 
there is a great mixture of red, with bars of white: 
but the whole plumage in this fex is extremely 
elegant. The females and young birds have a 
ereat deal of ruft-color in them: both agree in 
- their winter drefs, being intirely white, except as 
follows: in the male a black line occurs between 
the bill and the eyes; the fhaft of the feven firft 
quil feathers are black: the tail of the Ptarmigan 
confifts of fixteen feathers; the two middle of which 
are afh-colored, motled with black, and tipt with — 
white; the two next black flightly marked with 
white at their ends, the reft wholly black ; the fea- 
* Tom. I. p. 216. 
thers 
