LAG-OPUS MUTUS.
TETKAO LAGOPUS. Linn., Syst., vol. i., p. 274, sp. 4.—Gincl., Syst., vol. I., p. 749.—Tcinm., Man. d’Ornitli., vol. ii,, p. 408,—Gravc-s, Br. Oi'iiitli.,
vol. ii.—Nauui., Vog. Dents. (1833), vol. vi., p. 401.—Rieli., Supp. Parry, 2d Voy., p. 350.—Sab., Appcn. Parry, 1st Voy., p. cxcvii.—
Jenyii., Man. B. Vert. Anim., p. 170—Sclilcg., Rev. Crit. des Oi.x. d’Eur., p. 7C-—Lath., Ind. Ornith., vol. ii., p. 639, sp. 9.--l''ab„
Fann. Grocnlaiul, p. 114, sp. SO.—Meyer lYolf. Dent. Vogel, p. 298, vol. i., pi.—Hahn, Ucutsch., Vog., p.—Brchm., Ornith., Beitr.,
B. 3, p. 252.
PTARMIGAN. I.cwin’s Br. Bir.ls, vols, v. and v i, pi. 135.—T-atli., Syn., vol. iv., p. 7-H, sp, 10.—Montag., Ornith. Diet,, vol. ii.—Tliomp., Nat.
Hist. Irci., 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.—Yarr,,
Brit, Birds, vol. ii., p. 322.
TETRAO RUPESTRIS. Gonld, Birds of Eur., pi, Fcmiilc.
LAGOPUS VULGARIS. Vieill., Nouv. Dict. dTIist. Nat., vol. xvii,, p. 199.—Flom,, Brit. Anim., p. 43.—Eyton., Cat, Br, Birds, p. 30.
WHITE GROUSE. Penn., .Arctic Zool., vol. i., p. 360.—Bu'vick, Br. Birds, vol. i., p. 353.
LA GELINOTTE BLANCUE. Buff., I’l. Enh, t. 129, 494.—Briss,, vol. i., p. 216.
LE LAGOPEDE ORDINAIRE. Cuv., Reg. Anim., vol. i., p. 482, (1829).
LB LAGOPEDE. Buff., Nat. Hist. Ois., vol. ii., p. 301.
TETRAS PTARMIGAN, 'reinm.. Pig, ct Gallili, vol. iii., p. 185, t. Anat., 10 f. 1, 2 et 3.
LAGOPUS CINEREUS. McGill, Brit. Birds, vol. i., p. 187.
LAGOPUS ALPINUS. Nils., Skanil. Faun., vol. ii., p. 98.—Keys ct Bias. Wirbeth. Enr., |). 63.
TETRAO ALPINUS. Nils., Orn. Sncc., vol. i., p. 311,—Glogcr., Voy. Eur., p. 533.
TETRAO MONTANUS. Biohm, Voy. Dentsch, vol. ii., p. 448.
LAGOPUS MUTUS. Leach, Cat. of Mam. and Birds, Brit. Mus., p. 27.—Gray, Gen. of Birds, vol. iii.—Ill,, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., p. 48, (1844).—
Selby, Brit, Ornith., pis. i.ix. and i.x., figs. 1 and 2.—Steph., Gen. Zool., vol. xi., p. 287, pi. 21.—Boiip,, Rev. do TOniitli, Eur,, p.
173._Goukl, Birds of Great Britain, Pt. vi.
•cconnt of the many ehange.s of plumage to
IS localities from which tlic specimens cainc,
s, «-lien 0
and terminate in
iti-icted to the color and
11 Ptarmigan is a native of the northern portions of the Old World; and, o
which it is subjected, has been called by many different names, founded seemingly upon the vai
rather than upon the sufficient reasons usually given for constituting separate spcciflc distinctions.
So many are the changes of dross wliich tlicsc birds mulergo, and so rapidly do these follow each other, and so a.stonisluiigly do iiidividuals
vary from each other, that it is utterly impossible to give a description of the Lagopus Mutus, a t any season of tlie year, save winter, which
would niiswcr for the entire species. Changing and ever ehanging, in a eoiitinual state of moult, the feathers ai e no sooner perfected than they
arc obliged to give way to others of different hu e ; and thus, when this moultiug, from ago or other caiisc.s, d
ail individuals a t the same time, it may readily be imagiiiod how difficult is the task to define tho s|iecies
markings of this niut;ililo, cvaiioseeiit plumage.
The Ptarmigan makes its abode upon the loftiest mountains, descending in summer -into tlio valleys only for a slioi-t period to breed.
MaeOillivray says; “ The nest is a slight hollo«-, scantily strewn with a few twigs and stalks, oi- hlaclcs of grass. The eggs arc of a regular oval
form, about an ineli and scvcii-twclrtlis in length, an inch and from one to two-twelfths across, of a«-liito, yellowish-ivlutc, or reddish color,
blotched and spotted with dark brown, the iiinrkings larger than tlioso of the Red Grou.se. The young rnii ahont immediately after leaving
D nimhlc aud expert a t concealing tlicmsolvcs, tliat a person ivlio has acoidcntally fallen in «'ith a
c. On the snmmit of one of the Uari-is Mountains, I once happened to sti-oll into tho midst of a
aiitly scattered and in a few seconds disappeared among the stones, wliile tho mother ran about
t iiitciisc anxiety, and pretending to be unable to lly. She succeeded so well_ in drawing my
tlic shell, aud from the comincnccmcnt arc
flock very seldom succeeds in capturing
covey of very young Ptarmigan, wliich ii
«•ithiii a few yards of mo, manifesting the n
not one of them could be attention to herself, tliat when I a t length began to search for the yoi found, akhoiigli the jilaco
one might have supposed it impossible for them to esca|)c doteetion.”
In regard to tlic cliangcs of plnniagc which tliis species undergoes, I quote the «-ords of Mr. ■Wheelwright, than whom no one has had better
oppovtmiitios for obsei-i'ing these l.ii-ils, in S«cdcn and Lapland, Ho says; “ When wc first arrhed on the fells (.April 10), some of tho Ptarmigan
were still in pure white winter dress; others were just begimiing to assume the suinmoi- plumage, and here and there a summer feather was
shooting out on tlic lie;ul and nock. In about a month's time many of the summer featlicre had appeared in different parts of the body of both
males ami females, and about -May 22<l tho ovaries of many of the females wore in a very foi-«ard state, but the eliaiige in plumage seemed to
go on slowly. On June 5tli we took our first nest, with ten eggs, and the old female (ivliich I shot a.s she rose), showed nearly ms much of the
winter as of tho summer plumiigo. By .Tunc 10th tlie males were, however, grayish-blaok on tho head, back, and chest, the holly and under part
pure white; the black color ilarkesl on tho breast. The change from the « inter to the summer drcs.s is a true moull, and not a change of color
in the foathors. I t is most diflicnlt to say wliat is the real summer drcs-s of the Ptarmigan, for they appear to be in a continual state of change
or moult during tlic «-hole summer, and bear no one dres.s for any length of time; aud so irregular is the moult or change, that yon scarcely
ever SCO tw-o exactly alike or in the same state of forwardness, fov in the .same day in July yon may kill some in the early summer dress, and