268 BLACKCOCK. Class II. 



and white ; but the laft predominates. The back, 

 coverts of the wings and tail are of the fame colors 

 as the neck, but the red is deeper : the inner webs 

 of the quil feathers are mottled with black and 

 white : the inner coverts of the wing^ are white ; 

 and in both fexes form a white fpot on thefhoulder. 

 The tail is flightly forked; it confifts of eighteen 

 feathers variegated with red and black. The fea- 

 thers under the tail are white, marked with a few 

 bars of black and orange. This bird hatches its 

 young late in the fummer. It lays from fix to eight 

 eggs, of a dull yellowilh white color, marked with 

 num.bers of very fmall ferruginous fpecks ; and 

 towards the fmaller end with fome blotches of the 

 fame hue. 



Mixed Befides the common fpecies of black cock, M. 

 Brijfon mentions a variety found in Scotland, under 

 the name of le coq de hruyere piquet e, or fpotted 

 black cock. It differs from the common fort in 

 being fpotted on the neck, bread, wings and thighs 

 with red. This I fuppofe to have been a fpurious 

 breed between this and the former fpecies, as the 

 l^etrao Hybridus of Linnd^us is. I could not learn 

 that this mixed race was found at prefent in North 

 Britaifj, perhaps becaufe the cock of the wood is 

 now become fo very rare. It is alfo found in Swe- 

 defi^ and defcribed by Linn^us in his Faun. Suec, 

 fp. 201. by the title oi Tetrao caudd bifurcd fuhtus 

 alhopun5!ata, m Swedijh^ Racklehane or Roflare : the 

 legs of this and the preceding kind are feathered 



only 



Breed, 



