354 TETRAONID^. 



birds, while still quite small, show great readiness in 

 concealing themselves. When disturbed they separate in 

 all directions, couch on the ground, squeeze between objects 

 that seem to defy all passage, work their way through the 

 cover, or, if they fancy that an eye is fixed on them, lie 

 as motionless as stones. When so far grown as to be able 

 to fly, they still prefer the shelter afforded by the cover; 

 but if hard pressed the old cock usually rises first, with a 

 cry which some compare to the quack of a Duck. The 

 hen and young birds show no hurry in following his 

 example, but take wing singly, and at unequal intervals — 

 not like Partridges, which always rise in a covey. This is 

 the period when they afford the easiest shot to the sports- 

 man, who often puts them up almost beneath his feet, or 

 under the very nose of his dogs. Later in the season a 

 great change takes place, and this, it is said, whether the 

 birds have been much harassed or not. Become cautious and 

 wild, they no longer trust to concealment or swiftness of 

 foot, but, discovering from a great distance the approach of 

 danger, they rise most frequently out of shot, so that it 

 requires skill and patience to get near them. A slight 

 and early snow sometimes makes it more easy to approach 

 them, at least for a few hours ; but ordinarily, not even 

 extreme cold, or a covering of snow a foot thick, appears 

 to tame them at all. Under such circumstances, they 

 collect in enormous "packs," and betake themselves to 

 some particular part of the moor from which the snow has 

 been more or less drifted. These packs keep together during 

 winter, and at the beginning of spring separate and pair, 

 not, however, without some previous altercations ; but 

 these are soon over, and they lose much of their shyness, 

 venturing close to the roads, and being little disturbed by 

 the passage of the traveller. 



