298 DUSKY GROUSE. 



of the Arctic regions, or Ptarmigans, are also found on the very elevated 

 mountains of central Europe, where the temperature corresponds to that 

 of more northern latitudes. Here they keep among the tufts of dwarf 

 willows, which with pines, form the principal vegetation of these climates. 

 The Grouse feed almost exclusively on leaves, buds, berries, and espe- 

 cially the young shoots of trees, pines, spruce, or birch, resorting to 

 seeds only when compelled by scarcity of other food, or when their usual 

 means of subsistence are buried beneath the snow. They sometimes, 

 especially when young, pick up a few insects and worms, and are fond 

 of ants' eggs. Like other gallinaceous birds, they are constantly em- 

 ployed in scratching the earth, are fond of covering themselves with 

 dust, and swallow small pebbles and gravel to assist digestion. No birds 

 are more decidedly and tyrannically polygamous. As soon as the 

 females are fecundated, the male deserts them, caring no further about 

 them nor their progeny, to lead a solitary life. Like perfidious seducers, 

 they are full of attentions, however, and display the greatest anxiety 

 to secure the possession of those they are afterwards so ready to abandon. 

 The nuptial season commences when the leaves first appear in spring. 

 The males then appear quite intoxicated with passion : they are seen, 

 either on the ground, or on the fallen trunks of trees, with a proud 

 deportment, an inflamed and fiery eye, the feathers of the head erected, 

 the wings dropped, the tail widely spread — parading and strutting about 

 in all sorts of extravagant attitudes, and expressing their feelings by 

 sounds so loud as to be heard at a great distance. This season of ardor 

 and abandonment is protracted till June. The deserted female lays, 

 unnoticed by the male, far apart on the ground among low and thick 

 bushes, from eight to sixteen eggs, breeding but once in a season. They 

 Bit and rear their young precisely in the manner of the common fowl, 

 the chicks being carefully protected by the mother only, with whom they 

 remain all the autumn and winter, not separating until the return of the 

 breeding season. It is only at this period that the males seek the 

 society of the females. 



The Grouse are remarkably wild, shy, and untameable birds, dwelling 

 in forests or in barren uncultivated grounds, avoiding cultivated and 

 thickly inhabited countries, and keeping together in families. The 

 Lagopodes only live in very numerous flocks composed of several broods, 

 parting company when the return of spring invites them to separate in 

 pairs of different sexes, which is always done by the birds of this divi- 

 sion. Except in the breeding season, the Grouse keep always on the 

 ground, alighting on trees only when disturbed, or w^hen going to roost 

 at .night; by day retiring to the deepest part of the forest. The flesh 

 of all Grouse is delicious food, dark-colored in some, and white in others, 

 the dark being more compact, juicy, and richly flavored, as in Tetrao 

 cupido ; while the white, though somewhat dry, is distinguished for 



