352 TEN YEAES IN SWEDEN. 



150. T. HYBEIDUS. T. Urogallides, Nilss. Kackel- 



liane. 



Produce of the black cock and capercaillie hen. Tail 

 cloven, but the outer feathers are not curved as in the 

 black cock ; tarsus 2 in.; male blackish or black, with 

 a lovely purple gloss on the neck and breast, a white 

 spot over the arm-hole, and black and white under 

 tail covert. Length 2 ft. 3 in., wing breadth 3 ft. 3 in.; 

 tail 9 in.; beak black. Tail in shape like that of the grey 

 hen, has eighteen feathers, of which the outer are l in. 

 longer than the eight middle ones, which are equal. 



Female 9 in.; tail 6^ in., speckled with black and 

 rusty yellow transverse bands; breast darker rusty 

 brown. 



Weight of a good male about 5 Ib. 



The female might be mistaken for the female black 

 grouse, but may always be distinguished by the under tail 

 coverts ; in the grey hen they are longer than the middle 

 tail feathers, in the female T. medius they only reach half 

 way down them. 



Wing feathers in the T. medius first rather shorter 

 than seventh ; second like the sixth, third, fifth, the fourth 

 a little longer and longest. 



In the black grouse first, eighth, second, sixth, and 

 third a little shorter than fourth, which is longest. 



That the Kackelhane can lay is, I believe, tolerably 

 well proved, for I have seen an egg laid in confinement. It 

 was very similar to that of the grey hen, but rather larger. 

 I do not believe, however, that the birds themselves can 

 perpetuate their race. 



The Rackelhane is not so very rare, especially in those 

 tracts where the male capercaillie are shot out, for then the 

 females allow the black cock to tread them. 



I never, however, had the luck to procure more than one 

 myself, and this was in April, 1864. It came down on a 

 moss to play with the grey hen. The note is a very hoarse 

 one, rather like some parts of that of the capercaillie. 

 Directly this bird pitched on the moss, he drove all the 



