]56 TETRAO TETRIX. 



itself as occasion requires. In spring its fare consists principally 

 of twigs and catkins of alder, birch, and willow ; in summer of 

 tops of heath, Vaccinium IMyrtillus, and Empetrum nigrum ; 

 in autumn of heath, and of cro wherries, cranberries, blaeberries, 

 and whortleberries ; in winter of tops and buds of these plants 

 and of fir ; but at all seasons its staple food is heath and vacci- 

 nia. It sometimes makes an excursion into the stubble-fields 

 in search of seeds of the cereal plants, and in summer and 

 autumn occasionally includes those of graminese and juncese 

 among its desiderata. While thus employed, it walks and 

 runs among the herbage with considerable agility, and when 

 apprehensive of danger, flies off to a sheltered place, or settles 

 down and remains motionless until the intruder passes by. 

 It perches adroitly, and walks securely on the branches, but 

 its ordinary station is on the ground, w^here also it reposes at 

 night. It may often, especially in spring, be seen on the turf 

 top of the low walls enclosing plantations. Its flight is heavy, 

 direct, and of moderate velocity, and is capable of being pro- 

 tracted to a great distance. 



This species, however, does not wander far from its ordinary 

 haunts, nor, like some, make excursions into the neighbouring 

 districts. Its favourite places of resort are the lower slopes of 

 hills covered with coppice, interspersed with heath, rank grass, 

 and ferns, or valleys flanked by rocky and wooded ranges. In 

 such situations it is plentiM in many parts of the northern 

 and middle divisions of Scotland, including some of the larger 

 islands, such as Mull and Skye ; but in the Shetland and 

 Orkney islands, and in the long range of the Outer Hebrides, 

 which are destitute of wood, it is never seen. In some parts 

 of the southern division it also occurs in great abundance, 

 more particularly in the border districts, and in wooded glens 

 of the hilly regions. ^Mr. Selby states that " in Northumber- 

 land it is very abundant, and has been rapidly increasing for 

 some years past, which may be partly attributed to the nume- 

 rous plantations that, within that period, have acquired con- 

 siderable gro^vth in the higher parts of the country, as supply- 

 ing it both with food and protection.'^ Montagu observes that 

 " population and culture have driven it from the south, except 



