276 ALLEN'S naturalist's LIBRARY. 



worn nearly bare by constant traffic, is most entertaining to 

 observe. With drooping wings, outspread tail, and many other 

 curious antics, accompanied by an occasional spring into the 

 air, he attempts to secure the goodwill of the ladies, and when 

 two birds meet, a slight skirmish, in which a few feathers are 

 lost, takes place. As a rule, no serious fights, such as one sees 

 between Red Grouse, occur, merely a * round with the gloves,' 

 to entertain the ladies of the harem ; but occasionally, when 

 two rivals chance to meet, a furious ' set-to ' may be witnessed, 

 the fight lasting till one or both birds are thoroughly exhausted, 

 bleeding, and torn. These strange entertainments last till the 

 females — or ' Grey-hens,' as they are called — have laid all their 

 eggs and commenced to sit, when the males are seen no more, 

 the hatching of the eggs and rearing of the young being ex- 

 clusively the task of the females." 



Nest. — A slight hollow in the ground, scratched out and with 

 little lining; usually well concealed. 



Eg-g-s. — Generally six to ten in number. Buff, spotted with 

 rich brown. Average measurements, 2 inches by i"4. 



THE CAPERCAILZIES. GENUS TETRAD. 



Tetrao^ Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 273 (1766). 



Type, T. urogallus^ Linn. 



The Capercailzies are the largest of the Grouse, and have 



eighteen tail-feathers like the Black Grouse. The tail is 



rounded or wedge-shaped, differing from that of the genus 



Lyrurus in this respect. 



I. THE CAPERCAILZIE. TETRAO UROGALLUS. 



Tetrao nrogaUus^ Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 273 (1766); Macgill. 

 Brit. B. i. p. 138 (1837); Dresser, B. Eur. vii. p. 223, 

 pi. 490 (1873); B. O. U. List Brit. B. p. 145 (1883); 

 Saunders, ed. Yarrell's Brit. B. iii. p. 45 (1883); Seebohm, 

 Hist. Brit. B. ii. p. 440 (1884); Saunders, Man. Brit. B. 

 p. 477 (1889) ; Ogilvie Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 60 

 (1893); Lilford, Col. Fig. Brit. B. part xxviii. (i 

 Ogilvie Grant in Allen's Nat. Libr. ix. p. 49 (1895). 



