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Show 1886.] MR. R. COLLETT ON HYBRID GROUSE. 237 ground. In the hybrid specimen the colour and markings of the feathers are a complete mixture of the two species. The upper plumage most resembles Lagopus mutus, as the feathers there and on the flanks are finely speckled with black, but on a somewhat reddish ground, though this is not of so strong a colour as in Lagopus albus. The pattern on the feathers is almost similar to Lagopus mutus, and the long feathers on the flanks and the upper tail-coverts, which are wanting in distinct cross lines, especially differ from the corresponding parts of Lagopus albus. One or two feathers, however, resemble the last species. The cross bands on the head are also much tbe same as in Lagopus mutus, and thus more dense than in L. albus, but rather indistinct and irregular. The lores are speckled with traces of the black colour which is peculiar to Lagopus mutus. The under-plumage is borrowed most from Lagopus albus, especially in colour. The feathers are transversely barred as in Lagopus mutus, but the colour is red, almost similar to that of Lagopus albus. The fine cross lines are particularly sharply defined and numerous from the bill to the vent, an unknown feature in Lagopus albus. This hybrid has, on the whole, adopted the pattern of its feathers from Lagopus mutus, and the colouring (especially underneath) from Lagopus albus. The bill in size was intermediate. It is naturally impossible to state which of the two species supplies the father and which the mother. 3. Bonasa bonasia and Lagopus albus,-Amongst the specimens belonging to tbe Upsala Museum sent to me for examination there was a fifth specimen which appeared to be an example of quite a new combination. It was stated by Dr. Kolthoff to have been captured in Jemtland (Sweden) in November or December 1884. The covering of the toes is just the same as that of the normal Rype-Orre. The colour is lighter than any of them, the whole upper parts, and especially the tail-coverts, having broad white (not whitish) edges. The inner hidden parts of the back-feathers are particularly dark and somewhat mixed with brown. Tbe tail-feathers, especially at the root, are much mottled with whitish grey, and the outer feathers edged with white on their inner halves. The underside is white, with the throat black, and with dark-coloured but not cross-lined feathers on the flanks hidden under tbe white. The head is unusually white, with small dark edgings on the feathers of the forehead, and greyish ear-coverts. The inner half of the under tail-coverts is blackish. Although the specimen was a male bird with well-defined testes, its size was even less than a female Rype-Orre (wing 181 millim.), and was about the same size as Lagopus albus. It is therefore impossible that this specimen could have been tbe produce of a cross between Willow-Grouse and Blackcock, Neither is its tail forked, but somewhat rounded (the cuter tail-feathers 115 millim., the centre ones 118 millim.) and contains but 16 feathers. It is therefore more reasonable to suppose this individual to be a cross between Bonasa botiasia and Lagopus albus, even if one must |