BLACK AND RED GROUSE 51 



Nesting Period. — April to June. 



Site of Nest. — On the ground among heather, fern, bramble, etc. 



Materials Used. — Heath, ling, fern, or grass. Not much attempt is 

 made to build a nest. 



Eggs. — Seven to Ten. Yellowish, well marked with dark brown. 



Food. — Insects, grain, berries, buds, etc. 



Voice. — Described by Mr. Hett as: Call, male, "cooing," followed 

 by " hissing; " otherwise " crow " (compared to the whetting 

 of a scythe). " Response " of female a plaintive " cooing." 



Chief Features. — A well-known Game bird, once plentiful in Southern 

 England, but now mostly a resident of the North. The outer- 

 most feathers of the tail curve outwards, and these are sufficient 

 for identification. The Black Grouse does not pair, being 

 polygamous. 



Plumage. — Bluish-black, with a tinge of brown on upper parts; 

 across the wings there is a bar of white; the tail is black. 

 Scarlet wattles above the eyes, and hazel irides. Length. — From 

 twenty to twenty- three inches. The full-grown female is not 

 so large as the male bird, and is similar to the Capercaillie in 

 colouring, whilst the tail is not forked. 



GROUSE, RED (Lagopus scoticus) 



Local Names. — Brown Ptarmigan, Gorcock, Moor Bird, Moor Cock, 

 Moor Game, Muire Fowl, Red Game, Red Ptarmigan. 



Haunt. — Moors in Scotland, Ireland, North of England, and parts 

 of Wales. 



Nesting Period. — March to June. 



Site of Nest. — A slight hollow under a tuft of herbage. 



Materials Used. — If any, a sprinkling of heath, ling, grass, and perhaps 

 a few feathers. 



Eggs. — Six to Fourteen; the number varies. Two types may be 

 mentioned: one is yellowish, marked with light brown, and the 

 other blood-red, blotched and mottled with rich umber-brown. 



Food. — Young shoots, buds, leaves, and wild moorland fruits. 



Voice. — Call, crow of male, " cabow, cabow, cabeck, cabeck, beck, 

 beck; " " cockaway, cockaway; " or " go-bac, go-bac-bac-bac " 

 (harsh). Female, " yow, vow, yow " (with peculiar nasal 

 catch). Male, alarm, " cock, cock, cock." 



Chief Features. — The only bird found in Great Britain and Ireland 

 which does not occur in any other part of the world. For a full 

 account of how this has come about, see my British Bird Life. 

 It does not resort to woods like the Black Grouse, being a lover 

 of the open moor. Easily distinguished by its plumage. 



Plumage. — Reddish-brown on head and neck, and chestnut-brown, 



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