240 GROUS. 



rust-colour about them ; both agree in the winter dress, which is pure 

 white, except, that the male has a black line between the bill and 

 eye, and the shafts of the first seven quills are black ; the tail con- 

 sists of sixteen feathers,* the two middle ones are ash-coloured in the 

 summer, and white in the winter; the two next black, slightly 

 marked with white near the end ; the next wholly black ;| the upper 

 tail coverts almost cover the tail ; legs covered to the claws with 

 thick, white, downy feathers ; the toes not pectinated on the sides. 



This species inhabits most of the northern parts of Europe, as far 

 as Greenland ; very common in Russia and Siberia ; is frequent also 

 in the Alpine Mountains of Savoy; and in plenty on the Alps and 

 Mount Cenis ; with us it is chiefly met with on the summits of the 

 highest Highland Hills of Scotland ; not uncommon in the He- 

 brides, and Orknies; and a few still inhabit the lofty hills near 

 Keswick, in Cumberland, as well as in Wales. The female lays eight 

 or ten eggs, of a pale rufous, with very deep blood-coloured blotch- 

 ings of various sizes, all over, interspersed with a few minute specks; 

 they are of the size of those of the Pigeon, placed on the earth, and 

 the time of incubation is about the end of June ; are often met with 

 in large flocks the beginning of October, is called by the Norwegians, 

 Ficelde Rype, or Mountain Grous ; but in Russia it inhabits woods, 

 mountains, plains, and marshes indifferently ; it is a silly bird, suf- 

 fering itself to be caught by any stratagem, however slight; the 

 Greenlanders take them in nooses, hung to a line, drawn between two 

 men, dropping them over the necks of these stupid animals. The 

 natives were formerly adroit in killing them with stones, but now 

 chiefly shoot them with a gun ; in either way, when the female is 

 killed, the male unwillingly deserts the body, hence this species is 

 supposed to be monogamous ; and often met with in flocks in the 



* Brisson says eighteen, but I suspect that he counts the two middle long tail coverts 

 into that number ; and if so, all seems right. 



t In the PI. enlum. the whole of the tail feathers are white ; as also in the plate of the 

 fiist. des Ois. The carunculated part over the eye is very small. 



