BLACK GROUSE. 509 



October ; one was procured in Bransdale in the year 1890, 

 and in Bilsdale, south of the Cleveland area, they were intro- 

 duced by setting eggs, about 1896, but do not appear to 

 have become acclimatized. 



In the south-east of the county an attempt was made to 

 introduce this species on Thorne Waste ; a few birds have 

 been observed at long intervals ; a nest was found in the 

 year 1880, while Mr. Leonard West of Brough killed a male 

 bird in October 1896, near the Vermuyden River. 



The causes which have led to the general decrease of Black- 

 game in Yorkshire are, probably, the increase of Pheasant 

 rearing and the consequent multiplication of those birds, 

 the cocks battling with the Black-cocks for possession of 

 the woods, and so driving them away. In various other 

 parts of the county than those indicated stragglers have 

 occurred, travelling birds, doubtless, from one or other of the 

 above mentioned centres of introduction ; one instance only 

 need be cited as an example, namely : two Grey-hens seen 

 on Strensall Common in 1892. 



Cases of hybridity between the Black Grouse and Pheasant 

 are not infrequent, and of these Yorkshire can claim two 

 examples ; one was shot on 30th October 1894, on a moor 

 near Loftus-in-Cleveland, which, through the kindness of Mr. 

 F. Wilson Horsfall, came into my possession ; it exhibits 

 the characteristics of both parents, but the Pheasant pre- 

 dominates, and it is of the same type as that figured in Vol. iii. 

 p. 70, of the 4th Edition of Yarrell's " British Birds." The 

 other, which is similar to the first, was taken near Whitby, 

 being acquired by Mr. W. Pyman, and described by Mr. W. B. 

 Tegetmeir (Field, 23rd January, 1897) ; it is a somewhat 

 strange coincidence that both these birds should have been 

 obtained within a short distance of each other, and points 

 to a similarity of origin. 



Local names : Black-cock (male), Grey-hen (female), 

 Heath Cock, Blackgame. 



