WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



and a stick I would engage to kill three parts of every covey 

 of young grouse which I found in July and the first part of 

 August; and, in fact, the shepherds generally do kill great 

 numbers in this noiseless and destructive manner. As the 

 black game for the most part breed in plantations, where 

 sheep andshepherds have nobusinesstobe found, they are 

 less likely to be killed in this way. But the young ones, till 

 nearly full grown, lie so close, that it is quite easy to catch 

 half the brood. 



When able to run, the old hen leads them to the vicinity 

 of some wet and mossy place in or near the woodlands, 

 where the seeds of the coarse grass and of other plants, and 

 the insects that abound near the water, afford the young 

 birds plenty of food. The hen takes great careof her young, 

 fluttering near any intruder as if lame, and having led him 

 to some distance from the brood takes flight, and making 

 a circuit returns to them. The cock bird sometimes keeps 

 with the brood, but takes good care of himself, and running 

 off" leaves them to their fate. Wild and wary as the black- 

 cock usually is, he sometimes waits till you almost tread on 

 him, and then flutters away, giving as easy a shot to the 

 sportsman as a turkey woulddo. At other times, being fond 

 of basking in the sun, he lies all day enjoying its rays in 

 some open place where it is difficult to approach him with- 

 out being seen. 



In snowy weather the black game perch very much on 

 the fir-trees, as if to avoid chilling their feet on the colder 

 ground: in wet weather they do the same. 



Duringthespring, and also in the autumn, about thetime 

 the first hoar-frosts are felt, I have often watched the black- 



42 



