OCR Text |
Show 1882.] PLUMAGE OF THE RED GROUSE. 115 of black, a deeper colour in the centre, where also some white feathers appear; under tail-coverts a good deal tipped with white ; primaries very iaintly edged with white. The back of this bird may be taken as typical of the male Red Grouse. No. 4. Female, Oct. 21, 1879.-Head and neck brown, with black spots. Back and greater wing-coverts brown with black bars, many of the feathers having a black spot; primaries much marked with white on the outside; secondaries very dark brown, minutely marbled with light brown; upper tail-coverts a rich brown, barred and spotted with black ; tail black, with a slight marking of brown on the outer edge of the outer feathers. Breast and throat yellowish brown, the upper part of the former much barred with black, the lower part much darker, many of the feathers having an edging of white below the black line ; the sides again lighter and more coarsely marked ; under tail-coverts same as sides. No. 5. Male, Nov. 22, 1879.-Head deep reddish brown with black bars and markings, the sides of the head being mottled with white. Back black, relieved by a few bars of dark and light brown; greater wing-coverts deep dusky brown, marked by shadings of a rather lighter brown; smaller wing-coverts edged with white ; primaries slightly edged with the same ; upper tail-coverts deep brown, barred with black, a few feathers having a white edging. Chin much marked with white ; throat deep reddish brown ; the top of the breast has a circle of nearly black feathers ; the centre nearly white with a few black feathers, going away at the sides into deep reddish brown much marked with black and white; under tail-coverts same as sides. This is a very well marked specimen of a pretty common variation ; I have one almost identical from Skye. No. 6. Female, Oct. 31, 1879.-Back of neck and head dark brown with black bars and spots ; sides of neck chestnut-red, some of the feathers tipped slightly with white. Back deep brown, with bars of black ; some of the feathers have a black spot, and others are edged with a lighter brown ; greater wing-coverts tbe same as the back but without the black spots, many of the feathers edged with white; lesser wing-coverts also much edged with white ; upper tail-coverts reddish brown with black bars, a few feathers edged with white. Feathers of chin edged with white ; upper part of breast rich dark brown, barred with black, the edging of white on each feather increasing towards the centre of the breast, where the brown nearly disappears, the colouring there being black and white; the sides have the bars of white and black on the ground-colour more distinct; under tail-coverts the same as the sides. Outsides of the primaries edged with white. The tail marked and tipped with brown. This bird when fresh killed had a most beautiful purple gloss over its breast. I have killed this same variation in Ross-shire, but I have not found it a very common one. No. 7. Male, Nov. 22, 1879.-Back of head and neck very deep reddish brown, with black bars and spots, also spots of a lighter 8* |