THE FEATHERED GAME OF NORWAY. 145 



the Dovre-fjeld, in Osterdalen and Gudbrandsdalen. 

 It is polygamous, and breeds frequently with the fe- 

 male caper caillie, with the female rype, and even, at 

 least so it is said, with the wood-pigeon. It frequents 

 subalpine districts. The male is called in Norway 

 aarhane ; the female aarhone. The blackcock is fre- 

 quently seen during the breeding- season with the 

 female dal-rype, or white grouse of the valley. 



The hybrid black grouse (Tetrao hybridus, Linnseus) 

 is called in Norway rakkelhane, and is a cross between 

 the blackcock and female capercaillie. It is much 

 more common in Norway than in Sweden. Writing 

 on the origin of this bird, Temminck says, vide vol. ii., 

 p. 459, " Quelques naturalistes, et encore recemment 

 M. Nilsson, sont d'opinion que cette espece est un 

 batard, fruit de 1'accouplement de Tetrao urogallus 

 et Tetrao tetrix, mais ils sont en erreur." Temminck, 

 however, afterwards confessed that Nilsson was right. 



The raltkelliane is black in colour, the back and 

 wings being tinged with black-brown ; the breast is 

 brilliant steel-blue; the tarsi are covered with white 

 feathers. It is a large bird, considerably larger than 

 the blackcock. 



The hybrid white grouse (Tetrao logopides, Nilsson) . 

 There appears to be some doubt as to the origin of 

 this bird. Nilsson asserts that it is a cross between 

 the blackcock and female dal-rype. Professor Esmark, 

 of the University of Christiania, maintains that it is a 

 cross between the cock dal-rype and the gray hen. I 

 am inclined to coincide in opinion with the last-men- 

 tioned naturalist, for these hybrids are more common 

 in Norway than in Sweden, and preference should, 

 therefore, be given to the opinions of Norwegian natu- 



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