290 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



run and hide when pursued, and, on being flushed, 

 generally are wise enough to fly back over the heads 

 of the beaters instead of coming forward over those 

 of the " guns " ; as the season advances, old and 

 young crowd to glean upon the cleared stubble-fields 

 adjoining the moors, and excellent sport is then to 

 be had, both by stalking and driving. 



The food of the Black Grouse varies with the 

 seasons, but, whilst they are to be found, we think 

 that the seeds of the rush form the favourite staple ; 

 besides these the common moor-growing berries, corn 

 of all sorts, and the young shoots of birch, alder, and 

 various species of fir all come in for a share of atten- 

 tion according to circumstances, and ants and their 

 eggs are very favourite morsels, as is the case with 

 most of our game birds. As our acquaintance with 

 the habits and customs of the Black Grouse during 

 its breeding times is very limited, we must refer our 

 readers to the many writers who have described the 

 exceedingly curious scenes to be witnessed on the 

 so-called " pairing-grounds " in early spring, and 

 content ourselves by stating that this species is poly- 

 gamous, that the nest is usually placed under or near 

 some thick low-growing bush, such as the bog-myrtle; 

 the eggs average about eight or nine, very seldom 

 more than ten, in number, and are of a creamy white, 

 freckled with light reddish brown. We have found 

 young Black Game, hatched out under a common 

 barnyard fowl, easy to rear on a mixture of dry and 

 green food, and an occasional course of ants' eggs ; 

 they devour earthworms and certain caterpillars 

 very readily, and become exceedingly tame. Many 

 instances are on record of the interbreeding of this 

 species with the Pheasant and with other species 



