ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. 547 



have had opportunities of observing that the cocks continue 

 to drum just as long as the hens are at the regular spots. 

 Then comes the time when the latter wander away to their 

 breeding-places and begin to lay : almost all the cocks 

 are then silent, generally for nearly a week, but when the 

 hens are sitting hard there follows another short but very 

 lively period of drumming (" Nachbalz "). 



This observation was completely borne out in many parts of 

 Bohemia during the present year. For instance, on May 3rd 

 I saw at one spot several cocks calling very well ; but they 

 began unusually early, while it was still quite dark, and soon 

 left off. 



I was just ' springing ' a Capercaillie when a cock suddenly 

 flew up almost noiselessly, and, settling on a young pine-tree 

 close by me, immediately began to call softly. First came an 

 indistinct confused clucking (" Glocken " *), then instead of 

 the " Hauptschlag " * and the " Schleifen " * there followed 

 a peculiar snoring sound. 



This call was familiar to me, and I soon recognized it as 

 that of the Hybrid Grouse, and attempted to get near the bird ; 

 but though for half an hour I examined the dense foliage of 

 the young pine from all sides, I could not discover the cock, 

 which kept on uttering his comical song until he at last 

 vanished as quickly as he had come. However, as he flew 

 away across the valley, I caught a momentary glimpse of him 

 between two trees, and saw that he was not large enough for 

 a Capercaillie. None of the keepers knew of this cock, and I 

 have heard nothing more of him, so it would seem that he was 

 only a visitor. 



The Blackcocks are this year enjoying a particularly long 

 drumming-season, for, induced by the mildness of the winter 

 to begin calling early, they have now been carrying on their 



* [There are no English equivalents for these divisions of the sounds 

 made by the Capercaillie when drumming.! 



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