Birds. 



0209 



Is the Red Grouse of Britain really distinct from the Norwegian Willow G rouse i* 

 — The red grouse {Telrao scoticus) has hillierto been considered peculiar to llie 

 British Isles. I must confess, for my own part, I could never comprehend why it 

 should be absent from neighbouring- countries possessing all the necessary features 

 required by the bird. Now comes the question, — Is the red grouse really distinct 

 from the willow grouse of Norway {Lagopus stibalpinus, Niellsen, Tetrao Saliceli^ 

 Teniminck) ? My own opinion is that they are one and the same species, the differ- 

 ence in plumage depending upon the climate and food, the one species feeding prin- 

 cipally on heather and ling, while the food of the other consists mainly of small apical 

 willows, juniper, &c.* This may at first appear a bold assertion ; nevertheless, I feel 

 convinced that when the subject is looked into by competent parties it will be found 

 correct. Perhaps I ought now to state why I have come to this conclusion. About 

 ten days ago I was staying at Hjerkin, in the Dovrefjeld Mountains, close to 

 Suechoettan. Making from this st ition an excursion to some snow fields (at an ele- 

 vation of perhaps 6000 feel) for the purpose of collecting Dialomaceae from the snow 

 water, I had to traverse some dead thickets of juniper and dwarf willows: here 

 1 caught a young fnlly-fledged fieldfare, and flushed a willow grouse wiih a brood of 

 young. The old bird by its flight, &c., reminded me instantly of the red grouse (which 

 I have so often shot on our moors), the only apparent difference being in the colour, 

 which was lighter, especially in the wings. Here I may remark that the plumage in 

 the red grouse is always lighter in the early part of the season, and that the dark 

 chesnul-brown tint is not assumed until later in the autumn or towards winter. I 

 managed to catch one of the young birds, and the exact similarity of colour between 

 this and the young of the red grouse was at once apparent. After leaving the fields, 

 and arriving at Christiana, I went to the Museum, in order to examine more closely 

 the numerous and admirably-preserved adult specimens of the willow grouse belonging 

 to this institution. On seeing these I was more fully convinced of the identity of the 

 two species; and on mentioning my views to the learned Curator, Professor Essmark, 

 he informed me that Mr. Gould (who saw these specimens some lime ago) also in- 

 clined to think they were identical with the red grouse. Surely this is a matter of 

 interest to those fond of Natural History, and one which I trust will be fully investi- 

 gated. Should undoubted eggs of the willow grouse be in the possession of any 

 gentleman in this country, who would closely compare them with eggs of the common 

 grouse, this would, I think, throw some light on the subject, and perhaps clear up a 

 matter of much interest. Having mentioned the Museum at Christiana, I cannot let 

 this opportunity pass without recommending to the attention of those connected with 

 similar iusiituiions, the admirable contrivance adopted here for economising space in 

 the arrangement of specimens, particularly those which are kept in jars and bottles in 

 spirits. The contrivance consists of a number of vertical revolving pillars, with 

 shelves around them at various distances, according to the height of the bottles. 

 These pillars are arranged in rows in large glass cases. Professor Essmark, in a very 

 kind manner, explained the construction, which I am sure is wurthy of being adopted 



* If I mistake not, the red grouse to a slight extent follows the example of the 

 willow grouse in assuming a winter garb of white ; for who has not noticed the beau- 

 tiful margin of white to the feathers of birds shot late in the season? This is more 

 marked in very old male birds. 



XVI. 2 z 



