HYBRID GROUSE? 



Tetrao hybridus, Sparrm. 



medius, Meyer. 



Le Tetras Rakhelhan. 



We believe it is now the prevailing opinion among naturalists, that the bird figured in the accompanying Plate 

 (the Tetrao medius of Meyer and Temminck,) is merely a hybrid between the Capercailzie and the Black 

 Grouse, and as we ourselves are inclined to entertain the same opinion, our figure will therefore be of interest 

 as an illustration of the singular appearance presented by the mixture of the two species. While in this 

 country, Professor Nilsson of Stockholm, a competent judge, and in whose opinion we should consequently have 

 no hesitation to confide, informed us that no doubt existed in his mind as to the hybridization of the two birds 

 in question, and this we believe is also the opinion of the resident inhabitants of the countries where they are 

 found. On a subject respecting which so much doubt exists, it will perhaps be preferable to consider it as a 

 hybrid, until the discovery of a female or more information is acquired relative to its history. The countries 

 in which this bird is found are of course only those inhabited by the two species in question, consequently 

 Norway and Sweden are the places where it is most generally met with. Few springs pass without examples 

 of this bird being sent to London in company with Capercailzies, Black Grouse, &c. Of the numerous 

 individuals we have had opportunities of examining little difference was found to exist ; neither, we believe, 

 did the examples inspected by Mr. Yarrell differ from each other in their internal structure. 



Head, the whole of the neck, and breast dark purple ; the feathers of the head, and back of the neck very 

 minutely freckled with whitish ; the remainder of the upper surface dark brown, minutely freckled with 

 lighter brown ; the scapularies and secondaries terminated with whitish ; quills dull brown margined with 

 greyish white ; on the shoulder a small patch of white ; under surface dark brown minutely freckled with 

 lighter brown ; vent white ; under tail-coverts black, largely tipped with white ; tail black, some of the 

 centre feathers slightly tipped with greyish white ; feathers of the legs mingled with greyish white and brown 5 

 bill horn colour ; feet black. 



The figure is of the natural size. 



