HAUNTS AN]) FOOD. 115 



In Scandinavia the Hazel-Hen is classed as a Stand- 

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

 the most so of the genus Tetrao. 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 would seem pretty much 

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

 result of my 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 favourite haunts of the Hazel-Hen are hilly and 

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

 but it somewhat varies its srround according to the season 



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of the year. During 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 reasoh, 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 tops of the 

 bleaberry. 



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 by a peculiar 

 and almost melancholy cry ; that of the male consisting 

 of a long-drawn whistle, followed by a chirp : tl h~/I/- 

 //////-// ; whilst that of the female is more simple, being 



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