THE POULTRY KIND. 10. 



CHAPTER 



THE GROUSE AND ITS AFFINITIES. 



THE Cock of the Wood, the Black Cock,the grouse, and the Ptar* 

 migan These are all birds of a similar nature, and chiefly found in 

 heathy mountains and piny forests, at a distance from mankind. They 

 might once indeed have been common enough all over England, when 

 a great part of the country was covered with heath; but at present 

 their numbers are thinned : the two first of this kind are utterly un- 

 known in the south, and have taken refuge in the northern parts oi 

 Scotland, where the extensive heaths afford them security, and the 

 forests shelter. 



The cock of the wood is sometimes of the size of a turkey, and of- 

 ten weighs near fourteen pounds ; the black cock, of which the male 

 is all over black, though the female is of the colour of a partridge, is 

 about the size of a hen, and, like the former, is only found with us in 

 the highlands of Scotland ; thegrouse is about half as large again as a 

 partridge, and its colour much like that of a wood-cock, but redder ; 

 the ptarmigan is still somewhat less, and is a pale brown or ash-colour. 

 They are all distinguishable from other birds of the poultry kind, by 

 a naked skin, of a scarlet colour, above the eyes, in the place and of 

 the figure of eye-brows. 



It seems to be something extraordinary, that all the larger wild 

 animals of every species choose the darkest and the inmost recesses 

 of the woods for their residence, while the smaller kinds come more 

 into the open and cultivated parts, where there is more food and more 

 danger. It is thus with the birds I am describing : while the cock 

 of the wood is seldom seen, except on the inaccessible parts of heathy 

 mountains, or in the midst of piny forests, the grouse is found, in great 

 numbers, in the neighbourhood of cornfields, where there is heath to 

 afford retreat and shelter. Their food too somewhat differs ; while 

 the smaller kind lives upon heath blossoms, cranberries, and corn, the 

 larger feeds upon the cones of the pine-tree ; and will sometimes en- 

 tirely strip one tree, before it offers to touch those of another, though 

 just beside him. In other respects, the manners of these birds are 

 the same ; being both equally simple in their diet, and licentioub in 

 their amours. 



The Cock of the Wood, for it is from him we will take our descrip 

 tion, is, as was said, chiefly fond of a mountainous and woody situa- 

 tion. In winter he resides in the darkest and inmost part of the 

 woods ; in summer he ventures down from his retreats, to make short 

 depredations on the farmer's corn. The delicacy of his flesh in some 

 measure sets a high price upon his head ; and as he is greatly sought 

 after, so he continues, when he comes down from the hills, alway on 

 his guard. Upon these occasions, lie is seldom surprised ; and those 



VOL. III. I 



