COMMON PTARMIGAN. 



287 



and become of a pure white, or whitish ; and at 

 that time the toes become slightly downy beneath, 

 to defend them from the frost and snow : their 

 claws, which are broad and crooked, are well 

 adapted for removing the latter, which they are 

 obliged to do to procure their food, which consists 

 of herbage, fruits, berries, and the tender shoots of 

 various trees. They are all natives of the frigid 

 regions. 



COMMON PTARMIGAN. 



(Lagopus mutus.) 



La. cinereo alboque varius, remigibus albis rectricibus nigris, apice 



albisj duobus intermediis albis. (Maris macula nigra inter 



rostrum et oculos : corpore hyeme toto albo. ) 

 Ptarmigan varied with cinereous and white ; the quills white > 



the tail-feathers black with white tips, the two middle ones 



entirely white : between the beak and eyes of the male is a 



black spot 5 in the winter the body is entirely white. 

 Lagopus mutus. Leach, Cat. Mus. Brit, p, 27, 

 Tetrao Lagopus. Linn. Si/st. Nat. 1. 274. 4. — Linn. Faun. 



Suec. no. 203. — GmeL Si/st. Nat. 1. 749. — 0. Fabr. Faun. 



Groen. no. 80. — Briss. Orn. I. 2l6. 12. male. — Lath. Ind. Orn. 



2. 639. g.-^Temm. Gall. Ind. 707. 

 Tetrao alpinus. Nilss. Orn. Suec. 1. 311. 

 Le Lagopede. Buf. Ois. 2. 264. pi. 9. 

 La Gelinote blanche. Buf. Pi. Enl. 129. 494. 

 Le Ptarmigan, ou Tetras Lagopede. Temm. Pig. et Gall. 3. 



185. pL 10. /. 1, 2, 3. (head, &c.)— -rmrw. Man. d'Orni. 



p. 293. 



