BLACK GROUSE. 509 



October ; one was procured in Bransdale in the year i8go, 

 and in Bilsdale, south of the Cleveland area, they were intro- 

 duced by setting eggs, about 1896, but do not appear to 

 have become acclimatized. 



In the south-east of the county an attempt was made to 

 introduce this species on Thorne Waste ; a few birds have 

 been observed at long intervals ; a nest was found in the 

 year 1880, while Mr. Leonard West of Brough killed a male 

 bird in October 1896, near the Vermuyden River. 



The causes which have led to the general decrease of Black- 

 game in Yorkshire are, probably, the increase of Pheasant 

 rearing and the consequent multiplication of those birds, 

 the cocks battling with the Black-cocks for possession of 

 the woods, and so driving them awa}^ In various other 

 parts of the county than those indicated stragglers have 

 occurred, travelling birds, doubtless, from one or other of the 

 above mentioned centres of introduction ; one instance only 

 need be cited as an example, namely : two Grey-hens seen 

 on Strensall Common in 1892. 



Cases of hybridity between the Black Grouse and Pheasant 

 are not infrequent, and of these Yorkshire can claim two 

 examples ; one was shot on 30th October 1894, on a moor 

 near Loftus-in-Cleveland, which, through the kindness of Mr. 

 F. Wilson Horsfall, came into my possession ; it exhibits 

 the characteristics of both parents, but the Pheasant pre- 

 dominates, and it is of the same type as that figured in Vol. iii. 

 p. 70, of the 4th Edition of Yarrell's " British Birds." The 

 other, which is similar to the first, was taken near Whitby, 

 being acquired by Mr. W. Pyman, and described by Mr. W. B. 

 Tegetmeir {Field, 23rd January, 1897) ; it is a somewhat 

 strange coincidence that both these birds should have been 

 obtained within a short distance of each other, and points 

 to a similarity of origin. 



Local names : — Black-cock (male). Grey-hen (female), 

 Heath Cock, Blackgame. 



