CHAPTER V. 



'Die Blaek-Ciick. — Barren Hens. — Habits. — Food. — Resorts. — Snovvecl-in. 

 - -Migratory Birds. — Cause of Migration. — The Pairing Season. — The 

 Spel of tlie Bhick-Cock. — -Combative Propensities. — Ci-oss Breeding. — 

 In Confinement. 



^'^HERE was a fair sprinkling of Black-Cock, or Black- 

 -*- Grouse {On^e, Sav.; Aarfnyl, Norw.; Tetrao Ferdrix, 

 Linn.), near to Ronnum, both in the forest and on the 

 open moorlands. 



This bird has a wide geographical range, extending 

 from Scandinavia, Russia, and Siberia, in the north, to the 

 southern slopes of the Pyrenees in the south, and is 

 uuicli more generally distributed over Central Europe — 

 Avhcre it inhabits both mountainous and marshy countries 

 — than the Capercali, being found, locally, in Germany, 

 Prance, Holland, and the British Isles. 



As regards the Scandinavian Peninsula, the Black- 

 Cock is much more al)undant, and more widely spread, 

 than the Capercali. In almost all places, indeed, where 

 there are woods or moorlands, it is found. Its northern 

 limits, however, are not so extended as those of the 

 Capercali ; Init it certainly goes as high up as Muonio- 

 niska, in La])land, about the 68^ ; for though I myself 



