284 



Creagttrp at $atttrat 



the roots of trees, or along fences and walls, 

 often of considerable extent, and having 

 several branches, and always two openings. 

 On the back are five longitudinal black 

 bands, separated on each side by two white 

 ones. It is a very pretty, lively, and fami- 

 liar animal, well known in the United 

 States. A closely allied species is said to be 

 extremely common in Siberia, inhabiting 

 the maple and birch woods of that country, 

 and generally forming their nests or burrows 

 near the root of some tree : they are never 

 known to ascend trees in the manner of 

 other Squirrels, unless suddenly surprised or 

 pursued, when they climb with great expe- 

 dition, and conceal themselves among the 

 branches : they collect their stores during 

 the autumnal season, and on the setting in 

 of winter conceal themselves in their bur- 

 rows, the entrances of which they stop, and 

 pass the greatest part of the rigorous season 

 in sleep, and in feeding on their collected 

 stores. 



GROUSE. Under this general name are 

 comprehended several species of birds classed 

 by Linnaeus in the genus Tetrao. Their dis- 

 tinguishing characters are, that they have 

 short arched bills ; that their exterior and 

 interior toes are connected to the first joint 

 of the middle toe by a small membrane ; 

 that their legs are feathered down to the 

 feet ; and that they have a broad naked red 

 skin over each eye. 



The WOOD GROUSE, called also the COCK OF 

 THE WOOD, and in Scotland CAPERCAILZIE, 

 (Tetrao urogallus") is a magnificent species, 

 two feet nine inches in length, nearly four feet 

 in extended breadth, and weighs from eight 

 to fourteen pounds. The bill is very strong, 

 convex, and of a light horn colour ; over 

 each eye there is a naked skin, of a bright 

 red ; hides hazel ; the nostrils small, and 

 almost hid under a covering of short dusky 

 feathers, which extend under the throat, and 

 are there much longer and darker than the 

 rest : the head and neck are elegantly 

 marked with small transverse lines of black 

 and gray, as are also the back and wings, 

 but more irregularly. The upper part of 

 the breast is of a rich glossy green hue ; the 

 rest of the breast and belly are black, mixed 

 with a few white feathers : the sides are 

 marked like the neck : the coverts of the 

 wings are crossed with undulated lines of 

 black and reddish brown ; the exterior webs 

 of the greater quill feathers are black ; the 

 bend of the wing and under tail coverts pure 

 white : the tail consists of eighteen feathers, 

 and is rounded in shape, and black, with a 

 small white spot on the outer feather on 

 each side, near the extremity : the legs are 

 very stout, and covered with brown silky 

 feathers, with loose webs ; the feet and claws 

 horn colour, and the toes furnished on each 

 side with a strong pectinated membrane. 

 The female is considerably less than the 

 male, and differs from him greatly in her 

 colours : her throat is red ; the transverse 

 bars on the head, neck, and back are red 

 and black ; the breast reddish, varied with 

 a few white spots ; belly barred with orange 

 and black, the top of each feather white ; 



the back and wings mottled with reddish 

 brown and black ; the scapulars tipped with 

 white : the tail is of a deep rust colour, 

 barred with black, and tipped with white. 



This fine bird inhabits wooded and moun- 

 tainous countries, particularly pine forests 

 or plantations of juniper. In Russia, Swe- 

 den, and other northern countries, it is very 

 common in the forests of pine, which there 

 abound ; and the cones of the fir trees, which 

 it eats, as well as various plants and berries, 

 at some seasons give an unpleasant flavour 

 to its flesh. It was formerly met with in 

 Ireland, the Highlands of Scotland, and 

 parts of North Wales ; but it is now very 

 rarely indeed seen in these islands. Early 

 in the spring the season for pairing com- 

 mences : during this period the cock places 

 himself on an eminence, where he displays 

 a variety of attitudes, appearing unconscious 

 of danger, and insensible to all around him : 

 the feathers on his head stand erect, his neck 

 swells, his tail is expanded, and his wings 

 droop ; his eyes sparkle, and the scarlet 

 patch on each side of his head assumes a 

 deeper dye ; he at the same time utters his 

 singular cry, which has been compared to 

 the sound produced by the whetting of a 

 scythe : it may be heard at a considerable 

 distance, and never fails to draw to him his 

 faithful mate. The female lays from eight 

 to sixteen eggs, which are white, irregularly 

 spotted with yellow, and larger than those 

 of the common hen : they are generally 

 placed in a dry situation, in an artless nest 

 upon the ground, composed of heath tops ; 

 but she covers her eggs carefully with leaves 

 when she is under the necessity of leaving 

 them in search of food. As soon as the 

 young are hatched they follow the mother, 

 who leads them to procure the pupae of ants 

 and wild mountain berries, which are their 

 first food. 



BLACK GROUSE ; BLACK GAME ; HEATH- 

 COCK, or BLACK COCK. ( Tetrao tetrix.) 

 The male bird is about two feet in length, 

 and the expansion of his wings two feet 



nine. The prevailing colour of his plumage 

 is black, richly glossed with blue on the 



