BRITISH BIRDS. 1 29 



ing season, the sexes live apart in separate companies, the 

 females harbouring with the young of both sexes. 



The black grouse is reputed to be good eating, but the 

 flesh is dark, and opinions vary as to its excellence. 



Capercaillie. — This bird at first sight resembles a " big- 

 brother " of the last, but a closer inspection shows some 

 difference, especially in the formation of the tail, which in 

 the one now under consideration is long, broad, and rounded 

 at the end. The long upper tail coverts, as well as the 

 lower side ones and the tip^ of the secondaries, have greyish 

 wide borders, the ear coverts are brown, and the bill 

 yellowish whitish grey, except at the tip, which is black. 

 The red mark over the ej'e is more arched, and there is a 

 narrow white line at the lower part of the eye ; the legs 

 are thickly covered with brownish, hair-like feathers. The 

 female is brown, barred and spotted with yellowish brown 

 and black. In full length the male measures feet -t 

 inches ; the female, 2 feet 10 inches. 



This bird was formerly abundant in Scotland and the 

 north of England, but towards the end of the last century 

 became extinct ; of late years, however, it has been success- 

 fully re-introduced, and is now fairly abundant in several 

 parts, but more especially in the north. 



While the black grouse passes the night on the ground, 

 the capercaillie perches in trees during the prevalence of 

 snow. In habit it is shy, but prefers to escape from its 

 enemies by running among the brushwood to taking wing. 



Though indifferent eating itself, the eggs are a much 

 vaunted delicacy ; they vary in number from nine to twelve, 

 and are pale yellowish brown in colour, spotted with a 

 darker shade of the same. 



They are polygamous in habit, but the male " keeps an 



eye " on his harem till the young ones in each nest escape 



from the shell. 



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