WOOD GROUSE. 143 



it is said the rest will never move, and, in consequence, the 

 whole of them may be readily killed.^' 



In the Hktoria Scotorum " nobilis et prsedocti viri Hectoria 

 Boethii Deidonani," we find the following passage relative to 

 this species : — " Avium raptu viventium, Aquilas sunt, Fal- 

 cones, Accipitres, et id genus alise. Cseterum Aquatilium, 

 tam varius ingensque est numerus, ut pro miraculo notari hand 

 ridiculum est. Sed medii inter eas quaedam generis prseter 

 caetera reperiuntur aliis regionibus incognita. Unum magni- 

 tudine corvum paulo superans Auercalze, i. silvestris equi apel- 

 lati, solius pinus arboris extremis flagellis victitantes. Al- 

 teram illo minus galli gallingeque sylvestres vocati, frumento 

 abstinentes, cibum habentes enascentia minutaque cytisi folia. 

 Utrumque humanse guise admodum suave. Tertium genus 

 Fasiano carne ac magnitudine simillimum at nigra pluma 

 rubentibus admodum palpebris, sylvestrem gallum nostrates 

 dicunt, estque frumento victitans.'" — Scot. Regn. Descript. 

 Fo. xii. 47. That is to say : — " Of birds of prey there are 

 Eagles, Falcons, Hawks, and others of the same kind. As to 

 water fowls, their number and variety are so great as to be 

 really wonderful. And of an intermediate kind between these 

 some among others are found which are unknown in other 

 countries. One kind, a little larger than a Crow, w^hich is 

 called Auercalze, that is, wood-horses, and feeds entirely on the 

 extreme twngs of the fir tree. Another, of smaller size, called 

 Wood cocks and hens, does not feed on corn, but uses as food 

 the young and small leaves of the broom. Both are very plea- 

 sant to the palate. A third kind, much resembling a Pheasant 

 in flesh and size, but with black plumage, and bright red eye- 

 lids, our country people name the Woodcock, and it feeds on 

 corn." This is a very lame account of the matter ; but we 

 may at least conjecture that the birds here meant are Tetrao 

 Urogallus^ Lagopus Scotlcus^ and Tetrao Tetrix. If the " very 

 learned man " had possessed a tithe of the knowledge of one 

 of our modern rustics, he might have known that the Black- 

 cock no more feeds on corn than the Moorfowl on broom tops. 

 The only good authority on the subject of the former occur- 

 rence in Scotland of the Capercailzie, is Pennant, in whose 



