[ 39* ] 



Zool. illuftr. t. 13. 19 ounces; that from the 

 Hudfon's Bay ( 1 f lb) 24 ounces. Thefe dif- 

 ferences are of little confequence, and far 

 from increafmg the Hudfon's Bay bird to* 

 double the fize of the European. The Bri- 

 tifh Zoology fays, there is a difference in 

 the fummer colours; but Mr. Edwards in- 

 forms us, that he compared the Hudfon's Bay- 

 bird with the defcriptions of former ornitho* 

 logifts, and found them to anfwer ; he like- 

 wife allures us he had the fame bird from 

 Norway. Therefore Icannot help diilenting 

 from the Britifh Zoology, in this one parti- 

 cular, and thinking with Linneus and Bfiffon,. 

 that the European and Hudson's Bay ptarmi- 

 gans are the fame, efpecially as the colours, 

 vary very much in the different fexes and at 

 different feafons. To this we may add the 

 teftimony of a gentleman well veiled in 

 natural hiftory, who, having had opportunities; 

 of comparing numbers of Hudfon's Bay and 

 European ptarmigans, allured me that he did 

 not fee any difference between them. They 

 go together in great flocks in the beginning of 

 October, living among the willows, of which* 

 they eat the tops (whence they have got the 

 name of willow partridges) : about, that time 

 they lofe their beautiful fummer plumage, 

 and exchange it it for a fnowv. white drel? Y 

 ffloft providently adapted by its thicknefs to 

 fereen them again ft the feverity of the fea- 

 fyn.,. and by its colour againft their enemies 



the 



