LAG-OPUS MUTUS. 
TETRAO LAGOPUS. Linn., Syst., yol. i., p. 274, sp. 4.— GmeL, Syst., vol. i., p. 749— Temm., Man. crOrnith., yol. ii., p. 468.— Grayes, Br. Ornitli., 
yol. ii.— Naum., Vog. Deuts. (1833), vol. vi., p. 401.— Bicli., Supp. Parry, 2cl Voy., p. 350.— Sab., Appen. Parry, 1st Voy., p. cxcvii.— 
Jenyn., Man. B. Mert. Anim., p. 170. — Schleg., Rev. Grit, des Ois. d’Eur., p. 76. — Latb., Ind. Ornitli., vol. ii., p. 639, sp. 9. Pab., 
Faun. Groenland., p. 114, sp. 80. — Meyer & Wolf. Dent. Vogel, p. 298, vol. i., pi. — Halm, Deutscb., Vog., p. ^Brebm., Ornitb., Beiti., 
B. 3, p. 252. 
PTARMIGAN. Lewin’s Br. Birds, yols. v. and vi , pi. 135. — Latb., Syn., vol. iv., p. 741, sp. 10. — Montag., Ornitb. Diet., vol. ii. -Tbomp., Nat. 
Hist. Ireb, vol. ii., p. 45. — Morris, Hist, of Br. Birds, vol. iii., p. 351, pi. 172.^ — ^Penn., Br. Zool., 1812, vol. i., p. 359, pi. 57.— Tarr., 
Brit. Birds, vol. ii., p. 322. 
TETRAO RUPESTRIS. Gould, Birds of Eur., pi. Female. 
LAGOPUS VULGARIS. Vieill., Nouv. Diet. d’Hist. Nat., vol. xvii., p. 199.— Flem., Brit. Anim., p. 43.— Eyton., Oat. Br. Birds, p. 30. 
WHITE GROUSE. Penn., Arctic Zool., vol. i., p. 360.— Bewick, Br. Birds, vol. i., p. 353. 
LA GELINOTTE BLANCHE. Buff., PI. Enl., t. 129, 494.— Briss., vol. i., p. 216. 
LE LAGOPEDE ORDINAIRE. Cuv., Reg. Anim., vol. i., p. 482, (1829). 
LE LAGOPEDE. Buff., Nat. Hist. Ois., vol. ii., p. 301. 
TETRAS PTARMIGAN. Temm., Pig. et Gallin, vol. iii., p. 185, t. Aiiat., 10 f 1, 2 et 3. 
LAGOPUS CINEREUS. McGill, Brit. Birds, vol. i., p. 187. 
LAGOPUS ALPINUS. Nils., Skand. Faun., vol. ii., p. 98.— Keys et Bias. Wirbetb. Eur., p. 63. 
TETRAO ALPINUS. Nils., Orn. Suec., vol. i., p. 311.— Gloger., Voy. Eur., p. 533. 
TETRAO MONTANUS. Brebm, Voy. Deutscb, vol. ii., p. 448. 
LAGOPUS MUTUS. Leacb, Cat. of Mam. and Birds, Brit. Mus., p. 27. — Gray, Gen. of Birds, vol. iii. — Ib., Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., p. 48, (1844). — 
Selby, Brit. Ornitb., pis. lix. and lx., figs. 1 and 2. — Stepb., Gen. Zool., vol. xi., p. 287, pi. 21. — Bonp., Rev. de TOrnitb. Eur., p. 
173. — Gould, Birds of Great Britain, Pt. vi. 
Tbe common Ptarmigan is a native of tbe nortbern portions of tbe Old World; and, on account of tbe many changes of plumage to 
wbicb it is subjected, bas been called by many different names, founded seemingly upon tbe various localities from wbicb tbe specimens came, 
ratber than upon tbe sufficient reasons usually giv^n for constituting separate specific distinctions. 
So many are tbe ebanges of dress wbicb these birds undergo, and so rapidly do these follow each other, and so astonishingly do individuals 
vary from each other, that it is utterly impossible to give a description of tbe Lagopus Mutus, at any season of the year, save winter, wbicb 
would answer for the entire species. Changing and ever changing, in a continual state of moult, tbe feathers are no sooner perfected than they 
are obliged to give way to others of different hue ; and thus, when this moulting, from age or other causes, does not commence and terminate in 
all individuals at the same time, it may readily be imagined how difficult is tbe task to define tbe species, when one is restricted to the color and 
markings of this mutable, evanescent plumage. 
The Ptarmigan makes its abode upon the loftiest mountains, descending in summer into the valleys only for a short period to breed. 
MacGillivray says ; “ Tbe nest is a slight bolloAV, scantily strewn with a few twigs and stalks, or blades of grass. Tbe eggs are of a regular oval 
form, about an inch and seven-twelfths in length, an inch and from one to tAvo-twelftbs across, of a white, yelloAvish-AA’bite, or reddish color, 
blotched and spotted Avith dark broAvn, the markings larger than those of the Red Grouse. The young run about immediately after leaving 
the shell, and from the commencement are so nimble and e.xpert at concealing themselves, that a person avIio has accidentally fallen in with a 
flock very seldom succeeds in capturing one. On the summit of one of the Harris Mountains, I once happened to stroll into the midst of a 
coA-ey of very young Ptarmigan, Avhich instantly scattered and in a few seconds disappeared among the stones, Avhile the mother ran about 
within a feAv yards of me, manifesting the most intense anxiety, and pretending to be unable to fly. She succeeded so Avell in draAving my 
attention to herself, that when I at length began to search for the young, not one of them could be found, although the place was so bare that 
one might have supposed it impossible for them to escape detection.” 
In regard to the changes of plmnage which this species undergoes, I quote the words of Mr. Wheelwright, than whom no one has had better 
opportunities for observing these birds, in Sweden and Lapland. He says: “When Ave first arrived on the fells (April 16), some of the Ptarmigan 
Avere still in pure Avhite winter dress; others were just beginning to assume the summer plumage, and here and there a summer feather Avas 
shooting out on the head and neck. In about a month’s time many of the summer feathers had appeared in different parts of the body of both 
males and females, and about May 22d the ovaries of many of the females were in a very forward state, but the change in plumage seemed to 
go on sloAvdy. On June 5th Ave took our first nest, with ten eggs, and the old female (Avhich I shot as she rose), shoAved nearly as much of the 
winter as of the summer plumage. By June 10th the males Avere, however, grayish-black on the head, back, and chest, the belly and under part 
pure Avhite ; the black color darkest on the breast. The change from the Avinter to the summer dress is a true moult, and not a change of* color 
in the feathers. It is most difficult to say what is the real summer dress of the Ptarmigan, for they appear to be in a continual state of change 
or moult during the Avhole summer, and bear no one dress for any length of time ; and so irregular is the moult or change, that you scarcely 
ever see tAvo exactly alike or in the same state of forwardness, for in the same day in July you may kill some in the early summer dress and 
