BLACK GROUSE. 15l 



brown ; the soles chocolate. The iris is brown ; the eyelids 

 flesh-coloured. The superciliary mepibrane, or pad of linear 

 flattened papillse, is of an arterial blood-red, or deep carmine. 

 The general colour of the plumage may be described as black. 

 The head, neck, middle and hind part of the back, are highly 

 glossed with deep blue ; the scapulars and w^ngs tinged 

 with brown ; the primary quills deep bro\^Ti, with bro^vnish- 

 white shafts ; the secondary slightly tipped with whitish. The 

 bases of the secondary quills, of the inner primaries, of the pri~ 

 mary and secondary coverts, and of the alular quills, are white, a 

 conspicuous band of which is seen on the secondaries. The 

 lower wing-coverts, excepting those on the edge of the wing, 

 are also white ; and when the wing is closed, a few of them 

 are seen at its bend. The breast and sides are brownish-black ; 

 the abdominal feathers tipped with white ; the legs and tarsi 

 have whitish specks. The lower tail-coverts and adjacent 

 feathers are white ; the upper brownish-black ; the tail-feathers 

 deep black. 



Length to end of middle tail-feathers 19f inches, to extremity 

 of tail 23 i ; extent of wings 83 ; bill along the back 1, along 

 the edge of lower mandible 1 ; wing from flexure 10 ; middle 

 tail-feathers 4^ ; outer feather extended 8i ; tarsus 2^ ; first 

 toe i, its claw /^ '■> second toe li, its claw /^ ; third toe 2, its 

 claw i\ ; fourth toe 1^, its claw 41 twelfths. 



Of another individual the dimensions w^ere as follows. Length 

 to end of tail 23 inches, to end of middle tail-feathers 20 ; ex- 

 tent of wings 30 ; bill along the back lj%, along the edge of 

 lower mandible 1 ^^g ; eye j% ; ear j% ; tarsus 2^ ; first toe i, 

 its claw y\ ; second toe l^^, its claw -^% ; third toe l^f, its 

 claw j% ; fourth toe l^^, its claw j% ; w^ng from flexure lOi ; 

 middle tail-feathers 4i, outer along the curve 8i. Tongue ^g 

 long; oesophagus 12 ; intestine from pylorus to coeca 52 ; rec- 

 tum 6 ; coeca 30, convoluted along 10 inches of the intestine. 



Female. — The female of the Black Grouse, which among 

 sportsmen and others bears the name of Grey Hen, has a con- 

 siderable resemblance to the Red Grouse both in colour and 

 proportions. The body is full ; the neck of moderate length ; 



