188 CAPEECAILLIE. 



be killed, the young ones in a day or two usually begin to 

 call. This they do in certain stations or playing grounds, 

 to which they keep for years together. Several may be heard 

 playing at the same time on these playing grounds. The 

 hen birds assemble at the call, and the chanter then descends 

 from the tree. He does not play from the same tree every 

 day; and is seldom to be met with on the same spot for two 

 days together. 



About the beginning of May nidification commences, and 

 the nest, composed of grasses and leaves, is made upon the 

 ground, in long grass or heather, under the shelter of a 

 tree, or bramble or other bush. 



The eggs are from half a dozen to a dozen in number, of 

 a pale reddish yellow brown, spotted oil over with two shades 

 of orange brown. Incubation is said to last for a month, the 

 hen alone sitting, the males keeping in the neighbourhood. 

 If danger approaches, she runs off a little way, but returns 

 again as soon as she can with safety. The young leave the 

 nest soon after they are hatched, and keep with the mother 

 bird till towards the approach of winter; the cocks leaving 

 her before the hens. 



Male; weight, from nine or ten to thirteen or even seven- 

 teen pounds; length, two feet nine or ten, to three feet four 

 inches; bill, much hooked, the upper extending over the end 

 and sides of the lower one, both whitish horn-colour; the 

 skin over the bill is cast at certain seasons; iris, hazel; over 

 it is a crescent-shaped bare patch of bright scarlet, and under 

 it a small mark ol white feathers. Head and crown, the 

 feathers of which are rather elongated, neck on the back and 

 in front, and nape, brownish black, minutely freckled with 

 greyish white; chin and throat, the feathers of which are 

 rather elongated, and able to be raised at will, greyish black. 

 Breast above, dark shining green, the base of the feathers 

 black; lower down, brownish black with a few white spots 

 on the tips of the feathers; on the sides waved with grey 

 and black: there is a white spot on the shoulder. Back, 

 dark ash-colour marked with black. 



The wings, of twenty-eight quills, and expanding to the 

 width of four feet four inches, in some specimens only to 

 four feet, have the first feather, which is intermediate between 

 the seventh and eighth, two inches shorter than the second, 

 and the second one inch shorter than the third, and the 

 ou rth and fifth nearly equal, the fourth the longest, Yarrell 



