THE POULTRY KIND. i 



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 ; the grouse is about half as large 

 again as a partridge, and its colour much like 

 that of a woodcock, but redder ; the ptarmigan 

 is still somewhat less, and of 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 inac- 

 cessible parts of heathy mountains, or in the 

 midst of piny forests, the grouse is found in great 

 numbers in the neighbourhood of corn fields, 

 where there is heath to afford retreat and shel- 

 ter. Their food too somewhat differs ; while the 

 smaller kind lives upon heath blossoms, cran- 

 berries, and corn, the larger feeds upon the cones 

 of the pine tree, and will sometimes entirely 

 strip one tree, before it offers to touch those of 

 another, though just beside him. In other res- 

 pects, the manners of these birds are the same, 

 being both equally simple in their diet, and licen- 

 tious in their amours. 



VOL. IV. L 



