Northern Observations of Inland Birds 135 



entirely lacking so far as the species under discussion are 

 concerned. We need to bear in mind that in such countries 

 as Canada the grouse (particularly Franklin's Grouse) 

 are known at certain periods entirely to forsake sections 

 of country which may at least be as large as Scotland. 

 They simply go — where and why there is no ascertaining, 

 and for a number of years the Indians of the forsaken 

 area see none of them. In due course, however, the 

 birds return — very often in a wave of inundation, so that 

 their coming and going cannot be set down to increase 

 and decrease, but merely to a general shuffling and 

 sorting. This state of affairs, which is such a source of 

 anxiety to the sportsman of our own country, where the 

 migration theory is not so easy to follow, is peculiar to 

 birds of the grouse family the world over. 



Blackgame are probably the most gregarious of our 

 gallinaceous birds, living in packs the whole year round. 

 In spring the large packs split up into small packs, generally 

 numbering from five to eleven birds, and it is not very 

 often that one sees the gigantic packs fifty or sixty strong 

 which so delight the eye during the winter months. 

 The cocks and hens do not associate except for mating 

 purposes, and even during the mating season they show 

 a tendency towards living their lives apart except at 

 tournament hours. Thus, while the heat of the day 

 lasts, one may see half a dozen cock birds resting serenely 

 together, though a few hours ago they were at each 

 other's throats, and a few hours hence will again find 

 them at it. One need search no further than our own 

 politicians in order to find a similar order prevaiHng ! 



It is a fine sight to see the packs of blackcock breasting 

 the thinly timbered slopes during the winter months, 

 their black and violet hues, with their distinct white 

 markings, flashing impressively in the pale sunshine. 

 I have seen the birds swarm into a small berry-bearing 



