TETRAO. GROUSE. 137 



ed or freckled with dark brown. The young run about as soon 

 as they are born, and follow their mother until winter. The 

 males generally separate from the females after the breeding 

 season. 



Only one species of this genus, the Black Grouse, is now 

 found in Britain, the Capercailzie, or Wood Grouse, having 

 become extinct. 



The diiferences between the Grouse, properly so called, and 

 the Ptarmigans, are so inconsiderable, as may be seen by 

 comparing the detailed characters which I have given, and 

 the smaller Grouse are so similar to the Ptarmigans, that I 

 have hesitated much to admit them as distinct genera. Their 

 essential characters have been already given, and it has been 

 seen that it is chiefly in the clothing and w^ant of pectina- 

 tion of the toes that the Ptarmigans differ. Compared with 

 our Grouse, the Black Cock, their tail might be considered 

 distinctive, but many foreign species have that organ pretty 

 similar. 



