RASORES. TETRAONIDÆ.
T H E PTARMIGAN.
Tetrao lagopus, The Ptarmigan,. P e n n . Brit. Zool.‘ vpliji. p. 359. , , , M o n t . Oraith. Diet.
, t „ White Grouse-, B e w ic k , Brit. Birds, v o l . i . p . 353.
Lagopus vulgaris, The Ptarmigan, F l e m . Brit. Ad» p . . 43. ,, mutas, Common ,, /■ Selbv, Brit. Ornith. vol. i. p. 430.
*Tetrao lagopu&f y, „ i. _ Jpnyns, Bfjç^Vertrp. 1*70.' Lagopus mutus, , r ~ G o u l d , Birds of Europe, p t f x i .
’Tetrao lagopus, Tétras Ptarmigan, Temm. Man. d’Ornith. vpk ii. p, 408.
The P tarmigan is the smallest,in size of thé British
'Grouse'? and though considered to hate been formerly an inhabitant
o'f the mountain ^ridges of 'Cumberland and Westmoreland,
it i s ! now only’found as a British bird among the
grey roteks-on- the- highest ranges of hills in the central and
northermparts ofiScotlaind^in the Hebrides, and in the Ork-
WyS'r Ife'was riot met with by Mr. Dunn in Shetland.
, iThemame ofPtarmigamdsrTbut, a slight-modification of the
^Gaelic sword, TarMkTidn. This Grousers not found now
in 'any-part' of Ireland* hdtVeven in the north,-where it might
iayeJMen eipectedt j The Red Grouse, as 1 am informed by
Mr. William Thoinpson'1'iéJtpéfeóiid^^ci^.of Grouser now
tq>be found in- Ireland, whereat inhabits iriost.bf-.the-suitable
localities'.-. /
The Ptarmigan.pairs early in spring, ‘arid.lays eight or ten
' frequently on the bare ground, among, 'stories.fi The
are>ye%wish white? sparinglylblotehed and spotted with
dark1 firown ; ItKedengtfebn« in ch èg h t lines, b y ofrèdnch two
limes in b re ad th Thê.fooPpf these birds is the various sorts
of alpme5b tèié^'# ed s-, and the .tonden shdots'of alpine
»plants. Mr/Selby says, the note,*/©* eommoh call, óf the
P taimganr is hot unlikè ithat; of’ the Missel Thrush, but
rather more' harsh in sound.' Mr. Macgillivray compares the
•sound .3 f'th e ’Ptarmigan’s voice to .the proak of a.frog. At
thé commencement of the shooting, season,Ythe broods, or
sméll families, igo' together ';, and Mr. Gould has very justly
bbsterved, that feWmountain Ptarmigans are less wary and
shy in their disposition than the -other . Grouse,—doubtless in
,/riöteequéric e lif being less disturbed by man, against;whom
the- .elevated regions they inhabit present an obstacle'of too
formidable a nature'Wber often I encountered. Pennant and
/others have said that they are very silly birds,; so tame as to
bear driving like poultry, and if provoked to rise, take very
. short .flights. . T he only preservative, says a sporting friend