86 
[Clafs II. 
BIRD S. 
Thefe birds pair in the fpring, and lay from fix tops of the hills, are fcarce ever found on the 
to ten eggs : the young brood or packs follow 
the hen the whole fummer; in the winter they 
join in flocks of forty or fifty, and become re¬ 
markably fhy and wild : they always keep on the 
fides, and never defcend into the vallies ; their 
food is the mountain berries, and the tops of 
heath- 
SPECIES IV. The Ptarmigan. Plates M4. M5. 
White game, erroneouily called the 
white Partridge. JVil. orn. 176. 
Rail jyn. av. 55. 
The Ptarmigan. Sib. feat. 16. 
Bonafa fcotica. Brijfon av. I. 199. 
Tab. 22. Fig. 1. * 
Lagopus, Plum lib. 10. c. 48. 
f' I ,m \ H I S bird is well defcribed by Mr. 
JVilloughby , under the name of the 
white game. Linnwus takes no no¬ 
tice of it , and Mr. Brijfon j~ joins it with the 
white partridge of Mr. Edwards , plate 72. but 
thefe two birds differ greatly ; the former being 
above twice the fize of the Ptarmigan ; and the 
color of its fummer plumage quite different ; that 
of Mr. Edwards's bird being marked with large 
fpots of white, and dull orange ; that of the Ptar¬ 
migan is of a pale brown, motled with fmall dufky 
fpots , both agree in their winter drefs, being in- 
tirely white, except as follows : in the male a 
black line occurs between the bill and the eyes ; 
the fhaft of the feven firft quil feathers are black : 
the tail of the Ptarmigan confifts of fixteen fea¬ 
thers y the two middle of which are afh-colored, 
motled with black, and tipt with white ; the two 
next black {lightly marked with white at their 
ends, the reft wholly black ; the feathers incum- 
* This is no other than our Ptarmigan in its complete fummer 
drefs. -f Tom. I. p. 2 16. 
bent on the tail white, and almoft reach the end 
of it. The plate M 5. exhibits a motly variety 
of the Ptarmigany at a period it had not quite af- 
fumed its fummer drefs : for this figure, and that 
of the fcaup duck we are obliged to our worthy 
countryman (by defcent) Mr. Edwards , who ge- 
neroufiy dedicated thefe laft efforts of his genius, 
to the fervice of the charity fchool. 
Thefe birds are found in this kingdom in the 
fcottifh Highlands only : their weight is near four¬ 
teen ounces , their length thirteen inches three- 
quarters ; their breadth twenty-three : Thefe birds 
are called by Pliny Lagopiy their feet being cloath- 
ed with feathers to the claws, as the hare’s are with 
fur : the nails are long, broad and hollow : the 
firft circumftance guards them from the rigor of 
the winter ; the latter enables them to form a 
lodge under the fnow, where they lie in heaps to 
protect themfelves from the cold. 
\ . ' . , j-' , . _ , 
SPECIES V. The Partridge. Plate M 5. 
JVil. orn■ 166. 
Rail fyn. av. 57. 
Brijfon av. I. 219. 
Perdix. Gefner av. 669. 
f 1 H I S bird and its nature is fo well 
known, that it will be unneceffary to 
detain the readers with any defcription 
of it: all writers agree, that its paflion for vene- 
ry exceeds that of any bird of the genus $ fhould 
% 
the readers curiofity be excited to fee a more par¬ 
ticular account, we beg leave to refer them to 
thofe authors who have recorded this part of its 
natural hiftory*. 
SPECIES 
* Pliny lib. 10. c. 23. Wil orn. 168. Edw.preface Gleanings part 2. 
