BRITAIN'S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 113 



huffish down, with indistinct darker mottHngs on the 

 back. The crown is chestnut, and there are black stripes 

 behind the eyes, characteristics which distinguish it from 

 the chick of the next species. The males take little or 

 no part in the duties of the nesting season, and are, in 

 fact, already in flocks before it is well over. 



Black -game shooting lasts from 20th August (1st 

 September in Devon, Somerset, and the New Forest) till 

 10th December. Early in the season the birds sit rather 

 closely, but later on they become very shy and wary. 

 Unlike the Red-Grouse, the Blackcock usually rises with- 

 out calling. 



THE CAPERCAILLIE 



(Tetrao urogallus). 

 Plate 37. 



A much larger bird than the Blackcock, but one in 

 many ways similar as regards appearance and habits, is 

 the Capercaillie. A very considerable difference, more of 

 size than of plumage, however, is noticeable between the 

 sexes in this species. The female resembles the Grayhen 

 in a general way, and is not very much larger. The tails 

 of both sexes of the Capercaillie are rounded, and afford 

 a ready means of identification. The cock is at once 

 distinguishable by his great size alone. He measures 

 almost three feet from tip of beak to end of tail, 

 and may weigh anything from ten to seventeen pounds ! 

 His mate is fully ten inches shorter, and scales only five 

 or six pounds. 



The Capercaillie'^s right to be considered a real British 

 bird is rather a 'nice' point. The facts are that the 

 Capercaillie was formerly an inhabitant of the pine- 



O 



