^7^ Allen’s naturalist’s library. 
barred with grey and ru.sty ; breast brownish-black, sometimes 
more or less barred and mottled with buff j rest of under parts 
white. 
Adult Female, Summer Pliunage. — General colour above black, 
mixed with rufous-buff, most of the feathers being edged with 
whiti.sh-buft ; middle pair of tail-feathers and under parts 
rufous-buff, barred with black. 
Adult Male and Female, Autumn Plumage. — Upper parts, middle 
pail of tail-feather.s, breast, and sides grey, finely mottled with 
black, and sometimes with buff; rest of under-parts white. 
The female may generally be distinguished by having some 
feathers of the faded summer plumage remaining among the 
grey autumn plumage. 
Male : Total length, 14-5 inches ; wing, 7-6 j tail, 4-6 : tar- 
sus, 1-3. 
kemale : Total length, 14 inches; wing, 7-4; tail, 4-1; tar- 
sus 1-3. 
For the changes of plumage through w’hich the Ptarmigan 
passes, the reader is referred to the most excellent account 
published by Mr. J. G. Millais in his “Game Birds and Shoot- 
ing Sketches,” quoted by Mr. Grant (/.c. p. 39). 
Range in Great Britain. — Only found in the higher mountains 
of Scotland. 
Rang outside the British Islands.— The Ptarmigan inhabits the 
mountains of Europe south of the Alps and the Pyrenees, east 
to the Ural Mountains, and probably some of the higher ranges 
of Central Asia. 
Habits. — Mr. Ogilvie Grant gives the following account of the 
habits of the species : — “The home of the Ptarmigan is among 
the high stony table-lands and rocks above the limits of tree- 
growth and heaths. Like the Willow Grouse, the plumage of 
the male varies greatly in different localitie.s, and the amount 
of white feathers retained during the summer and autumn 
plumages is greatly affected by the latitude which the birds 
inhabit, examples from the north of Norway retaining much 
white in the upper parts throughout the summer months. 
This does not apply to the females, all of which get their full 
summer breeding-dress, which is no doubt essential for their 
