ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. 547 
have had opportunities of observing that the cocks continue 
to drum just as long as the hens are at the regular spots. 
Then comes the time when the latter wander away to their 
breeding-places and begin to lay: almost all the cocks 
are then silent, generally for nearly a week, but when the 
hens are sitting hard there follows another short but very 
lively period of drumming (‘ Nachbalz’’). 
This observation was completely borne out in many parts of 
Bohemia during the present year. For instance, on May 3rd 
I saw at one spot several cocks calling very well; but they 
began unusually early, while it was still quite dark, and soon 
left off. 
I was just ‘springing’ a Capercaillie when a cock suddenly 
flew up almost noiselessly, and, settling on a young pine-tree 
close by me, immediately began to call softly. First came an 
indistinct confused clucking (‘‘ Glocken” *), then instead of 
the “ Hauptschlag” * and the “ Schleifen” * there followed 
a peculiar snoring sound. 
This call was familiar to me, and [ soon recognized it as 
that of the Hybrid Grouse, and attempted to get near the bird ; 
but though for half an hour I examined the dense foliage of 
the young pine from all sides, I could not discover the cock, 
which kept on uttering his comical song until he at last 
vanished as quickly as he had come. However, as he flew 
away across the valley, I caught a momentary glimpse of him 
between two trees, and saw that he was not large enough for 
a Capercaillie. None of the keepers knew of this cock, and IL 
have heard nothing more of him, so it would seem that he was 
onlv a visitor. 
The Blackcocks are this year enjoying a particularly long 
drumming-season, for, induced by the mildness of the winter 
to begin calling early, they have now been carrying on their 
* [There are no English equivalents for these divisions of the sounds 
made by the Capercaillie when drumming. ] 
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