RED PTARMIGAN. 



La Gelinotte d'Ecosse. Buff, Ois. 2. 242. 



Tetras des Saules, ou muet. (Summer plumage.) Temm, Pig. et 



Gall. 3. 221.;?/. 9./ 5. (head.)--7mm. Man, d'Orn.p. 296. 

 Red Game, Moor Cock, Gorcock. Raii. Syn. 54. a. 3. — Alb. 



Birds, l.pL 23. 24. 

 P-ed Grous. Penn. Brit. Zool. 1. g4.pl. 43. — Lath. Gen, Syn. 4. 



746. 13. — Lath. Syn. Sup. 2l6. — Levoin. Brit, Birds, pi, J 35. 



— Wale. Syn. 2. pi. 183. — Mont. Orn. Did. l.-^Mont. Orn. 



Diet. Supp. — Beto. Brit. Birds. I. 301. — Bing, Anim. Biog.2, 



235. — Lotv.Faun. Oread, p, 51. 



The Red Ptarmigan is in length fifteen inches 

 and a half : the beak is black : irides hazel : the 

 nostrils covered with red and black feathers : at 

 the base of the lower mandible is a spot of white : 

 the naked space above the eyes is scarlet, and 

 somewhat fringed : the head and neck are pale 

 tawny red, each feather being marked with several 

 bars of black : throat red : breast and belly dull 

 purplish brown, crossed with numerous narrow 

 dusky lines : quills dusky : the back and scapulars 

 deep red, with a large black spot in the middle of 

 each feather : tail even, consisting of sixteen fea- 

 thers ; the four middle ones barred with tawny 

 red, the rest all black : the legs covered with soft 

 whitish feathers down to the claws, which are of 

 a light horn-polour, hollow, broad, and concave 

 underneath. The female is smaller : the colours 

 duller than in the rnale, and the naked space over 

 the eye less conspicuous. 



These birds occur at all seasons on the heathy 

 and mountainous parts of the northern counties 

 pf England y they are likewise said to be found 



