catalociue of birds. 299 



The Black Grouse. 

 This species, the male of which is commonly 

 called the Blackcock, the female the Greyhen, and 

 collectively Blackgame, were at one time common 

 in the south of England, but its numbers have 

 decreased very much. Small packs, however, still 

 exist in South Devon, Cornwall, and on Exmoor. 

 It exists in suitable localities in Wales, in the 

 northern counties of England, and is fairly plentiful 

 in Scotland. This Grouse, although found amongst 

 the heather, seems rather more partial to those 

 parts of the mountain where there is a mixture of 

 birchwood scrub, rough grass, and boggy ground. 

 The nest, like that of the preceding species, is a 

 mere depression in the ground. " Eggs — six to ten, 

 of a yellowish- white, spotted with orange- brown." 

 (Howard Saunders.) The birds are polygamous, 

 and in the courting season, as soon as dawn appears, 

 probably on certain days in the month of January, 

 a lot of old Blackcock assemble, form a ring, and go 

 through a most wonderful performance for the 

 delectation of the hens. From what Booth says, 

 there is generally a master of the ceremonies in the 

 shape of the grandest old cock, who arrives first 

 upon the scene ; to give a short quotation from his 

 book, which is valuable, considering that he saw 

 from a place of concealment what took place, he 

 says : " The old cock now advanced into the centre 

 of the arena ; his comb was elevated, his wings 

 drooped, his tail curled upon his back, and every 

 feather down to his very toes was spread out to the 



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