THE BLACK GROUSE. 47 



mottled shoulder-feathers and inner flight-feathers of the first 

 plumage are generally retained till the second season, and the 

 outer tail-feathers are shorter and less beautifully curved. 



Females that have become barren from age or accident 

 commonly assume the male plumage to a greater or less ex- 

 tent, some examples having much black in the plumage and a 

 very well-developed forked black tail, each feather being 

 prettily edged with white. One peculiarity of these birds is 

 the colour of the throat, which in the most fully plumaged 

 examples is pure white. 



The only time when the throat of the male is white, or 

 partially so, is during the short period when the temporary 

 hen-like plumage covers the head and neck. At that season 

 the throat becomes white or thickly spotted with that colour. 

 No doubt this is the source whence the pure white throat of 

 the barren female is derived. 



Habits — Pine- and birch-forests are the true home of this 

 bird, and though, when feeding, it may often be met with on 

 the open moors or in the stubble-fields at a considerable dis- 

 tance from any covert, it is truly a denizen of the woods, and 

 passes the greater part of its existence on the branches, where, 

 unlike the Red Grouse, it is perfectly at home. Black Grouse, 

 like other Game-Birds, are extremely partial to grain, and 

 in some parts of Scotland, where they are still numerous, fre- 

 quent the stubble-fields in enormous flocks, generally in the 

 early morning and towards evening. They are polygamous — 

 that is to say, one male pairs with many females, and generally 

 towards the end of March or beginning of April the pairing- 

 season commences, when the cocks are in the habit of re- 

 pairing at dawn and sunset to some particular spot to display 

 their charms to the females and give battle to their rivals. 



The extraordinary pantomime gone through by each male as 

 he struts round the arena, generally an open patch of ground 

 worn nearly bare by constant traffic, is most entertaining to 



