288 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



recognized a solitary Sand-Grouse, which bird, as I 

 have little doubt, owed its life on this occasion to the 

 prompt intervention of my correspondent. I consider 

 such a rare example of proper feeling and humanity 

 as well worthy of record, still more so of imitation. 

 With regard to 1889, the 'Northampton Daily 

 Chronicle ' of January 19th contained the following 

 paragraph from Mr. Wm. Bazeley of that town: 

 " A fine male specimen of Pallas's Sand-Grouse, 

 weighing 11^ oz., was shot in the parish of Weedon 

 on 15th inst. It flew out of some turnips close to a 

 rick of barley, where it had evidently been feeding, 

 its crop being full of the same." This specimen was 

 stuffed and mounted (as I believe) by Mr. Bazeley, 

 who obligingly sent me a photograph of it after 

 the operation. 



119. BLACK GROUSE. 



Tetrao tetrix. 



The only occurrence of this species in Northamp- 

 tonshire which has hitherto come to our knowledge 

 will be found recorded by me in the ' Zoologist ' for 

 1851, vol. ix. p. 3278, in the following words : " A 

 Grey Hen was observed, in September 1849, in a 

 wheat-stubble near Cranford, the seat of Sir G. 

 Robinson, and was afterwards seen three or four 

 times in that neighbourhood and in Grafton Park, 

 and in May or June 1 850, a labourer at Cranford, in 

 clearing out a ditch, disturbed her from a nest 

 containing ten eggs, which were put under a hen, 

 but all proved rotten. I never heard of this bird in 

 this county before, and the nearest place that I am 



