BLACK COCK SHOOTING. 58 



ground, near water, and the parents convey the 

 broods, when hatched, to the low, damp, rushy hol- 

 lows, where the tender seeds of the hill grasses and 

 rushes form their abundant nourishment. Sir Wil- 

 liam Jardine's account of the black cock is so graphic, 

 that we extract it for the amusement of our readers : — 

 " This bird is polygamous. In the warmer, 

 sunny days, at the conclusion of winter, and com- 

 mencement of spring, the males, after feeding, may 

 be seen arranged on some turf-fence, rail, or sheep- 

 fold, pluming their wings, expanding their tails, and 

 practising, as it were, their love-call. If the weather 

 now continues warm, the flocks soon separate, and 

 the males select some conspicuous spots, from whence 

 they endeavour to drive all rivals, and commence to 

 display their arts to allure the females. The places 

 selected at such seasons are generally elevations : the 

 turf-enclosure of a former sheepfold, which has 

 been disused, and is now grown over; or some of 

 those beautiful spots of fresh and grassy pasture, 

 which are well known to the inhabitants of a pastoral 

 district. Here, after, perhaps, many battles have 

 been fought and rivals vanquished, the noble, full- 

 dressed black cock takes his stand, commencing at 

 the first dawn of day, and, where the game is abun- 

 dant, the hill on eveiy side repeats the humming 

 call. They strut around the spots selected, trailing 

 their wings, inflating the throat and neck, and pufiing 

 up the plumage of these parts and the now brilliant 

 wattle above the eyes, raising and expanding their 



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