210 STRA Y FEA THERS FROM MANY BIRDS. 



requires plenty of cover ; it is in fact a wood Grouse like 

 the Capercailie, and is somewhat fastidious in its choice 

 of a haunt. Its home, although very near the broad 

 expanses of heath which the Red Grouse loves, is lower 

 down the hills, where pine woods, fir plantations, and 

 birch copses afford it the requisite seclusion. It is fond 

 of the sheltered hollows, just below the table- lands of 

 moor, studded with spruce and fir groves, and carpeted 

 with heath and bracken, where the rocky boulders 

 of millstone grit are almost concealed by bilberry, 

 cranberry, and huge tufts of polypody fern. Water is 

 essential to its presence ; and it often skulks amongst 

 the patches of rushes, and in the alder clumps. The 

 sportsman often flushes the Blackcock from the tall 

 dense clumps of bracken, or from the long heather on 

 the sides of rough ravines near the banks of mountain 

 streams. It is extremely partial to basking in open 

 places, but it never cares to stray far from cover. 



The Black Grouse is a shy and wary bird, and skulks 

 low amongst the vegetation, only rising when almost 

 trodden upon. It flies swiftly, more so perhaps than 

 the Red Grouse, and when flushed often utters its harsh 

 note. It also flies farther at a time and much higher 

 than the other species. Another peculiarity known 

 to every sportsman is its habit of perching on trees. 

 Now, the Red Grouse only perches on trees very 

 rarely, although it is extremely fond of resting on walls 



