138 



TETRAO UROGALLUS. THE WOOD GROUSE. 



WOOD GROUSE. COCK OF THE WOODS. CAPERCAILZIE. CAPULL-COILLE, 

 COILEACH-COILLE. 



Tetrao Urogallus. Linn. Syst. Nat. I. 273. 



Tetrao Urogallus. Lath. Ind. Orn. II. 634. 



Wood Grouse. Mont, Orn. Diet. 



Tetras Auerhan. Tetrao Urogallus, Teram. Man. d'Orn. II. 457. 



Tetrao Urogallus. Wood Grous. Jen. Brit. Vert. An. 168. 



Male with the tail rounded ; the upper parts minutely undu- 

 lated with grey and black ; the throaty lower part of fore-neck, 

 and fore part of breast^ blacJc^ the tips of the feathers glossy dark 

 green ; the lower icing-coterts and feathers under the tail^ white. 

 Female variegated with yellowish-red^ ichite^ and brownish-black. 



Male. — This magnificent bird, the chieftain of the Grouse 

 tribe, aUhough once plentiful in Scotland, where it was known 

 by the name of Capercailzie, has long ceased to be a denizen of 

 our forests. It might therefore be judged unnecessary to 

 describe it in a work like the present ; and I should certainly 

 be of that opinion had I not some particulars to relate respect- 

 ing the structure of its digestive organs, which are interesting 

 as presenting the peculiar characters of the genus in the high- 

 est degree of development. 



The Wood Grouse is a bird of great size, being not much 

 inferior to the Turkey, and proportionally more robust. The 

 body is full ; the neck of moderate length and strong ; the 

 wings rather short ; the feet of moderate strength ; the tail 

 rather long. 



The bill is very strong, short, as broad as deep at the base ; 

 the upper mandible with its dorsal outline nearly straight to 



