HAUNIS ANIJ FOOIJ. 115 



In Scandinavia tlie Hazel-Hen is classed as a SUhul- 

 Fogel, or stationary bird, and beyond doubt it is about 

 the most so of the genus Telrao. The Capercali and the 

 Black- Cock, as shown, occasionally migrate, for a time at 

 least, from the locality where they were bred ; but not 

 so with the Hazel-Hen, which Avould seem pretty much 

 to confine itself to one district. Such at least is the 

 result of ray experience, which has been considerable ; for 

 when roaming the forest, a day seldom passed that we 

 did not meet with some of these birds. 



The faA'ourite haunts of the Hazel-Hen are hilly and 

 wooded districts. In the open country it is never found, 

 but it somewhat varies its ground according to the season 

 of the year. Daring summer and autumn one often 

 observes these birds in young woods consisting chiefly 

 of deciduous trees ; but when the leaves begin to fall, they 

 retire to the great pine forests, for the reason, as 

 some suppose, that they may be the less exposed to the 

 attacks of birds of prey. 



Its food in the autumn consists of worms, larvae, and 

 the various berries with which the Scandinavian forests 

 abound ; but in the winter, when the snow lies deep on 

 the ground, it subsists chiefly on the tender tops of the 

 birch and the alder, especially the latter. I have then 

 also found in their crops the stalks and t02)s of the 

 bleaberi-y. 



The Hazel-Hen — unlike its congeners, the Capercali 

 and the Black-Cock, both of which are polygamous — 

 lives in monogamy. The pairing season usually com- 

 mences at the end of March or beginning of April, 

 though the time is somewhat dependent on the state of 

 the weather. The sexes attract each other hj a peculiar 

 and almost melancholy cry ; that of the male consisting 

 of a long-drawn whistle, followed by a chirp : tl li'ili- 

 nnri-t'i ; whilst that of the female is more simple, being 



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