66 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE GROUSE 



in the air to a height of several feet, and then drop 

 again on the same spot.' This brief remark supplies 

 the key to the sport of 'becking.' When grouse go 

 to roost late on in the afternoon, they do not huddle 

 together like .partridges, but scatter over the ground 

 on which they intend to sleep, at the same time taking 

 care to keep but a little distance apart. When the 

 old male wakes in the morning, his first thought is to 

 find his mate and sport with her during the early 

 hours that precede the rising of the sun. Accordingly, 

 rising on the wing, the male grouse begins to in- 

 dulge in short, playful flights towards the object of 

 his attentions. Rising quietly off the ground, the bird 

 flies up to a height of fifteen or twenty feet above the 

 ground. He then commences to drop again, and 

 simultaneously utters his cry, ' err beck, beck, beck, 

 beck, goback, goback, goback] the latter portion of his 

 cry being concluded as he alights upon a tussock of 

 heather or some other natural prominence. The 

 female responds to the overtures of her mate, and he 

 continues to repeat his amorous performance until the 

 arrival of daylight suspends his erotic demonstrations. 

 The North-countryman who desires to go ' becking ' 

 takes the trouble to ascertain in advance where the 

 birds are most likely to be met with in his neighbour- 

 hood. He rises from his bed in the dead of the 



