192 BLACK GKOUSE. 



the danger has passed. In the winter and the early part of 

 the spring, they are more shy than at other times. They 

 are fine eating. The male birds are polygamous, and after 

 leaving the females and the young, keep by themselves in 

 small flocks in the autumn and winter, living amicably together; 

 some, however, rejoin the broods, and may be seen basking 

 in the sun with them on the hill side in the middle of the 

 day, but in the spring the 'organ of combativeness' is developed, 

 and they exhibit considerable animosity towards each other, and 

 may at such times be easily approached, when intent on 

 battle. In these conflicts they fight in the same manner as 

 the game cock, with tail raised and spread and the head 

 lowered, each leaping up against his match, and striking at 

 him. The winner takes possession of the homestead he has 

 won, and there, no 'Noir Faineant,' each morning and evening 

 he gallantly struts, trailing his wings over the ground, and 

 with outspread tail, throat puffed out, and the brilliant wattle 

 swelled, both challenges with his harsh note the admiration 

 of the females, and bids defiance to all comers. 



They are restless and wild before rain. Both birds endeavour 

 to draw away intruders from the brood, and the hen is the 

 first to rise after running some way off, and then in an 

 apparently disabled manner. At the beginning of the season 

 they lie very close, so as often to allow themselves to be 

 taken with the hand, but later on they go in packs, and 

 become very wild; sometimes hundreds assemble together. It 

 has been attempted to domesticate them, but without success. 



They fly in a heavy manner, and in a direct line, at a 

 tolerably fast rate, and can on occasion proceed to a consi- 

 derable distance. Their proper station is on the ground, 

 where they walk about nimbly enough, and also roost at 

 night, but they can perch adroitly on the branches of trees, 

 and move about among them. They may often be seen in 

 spring on the top of a low wall. 



They feed on juniper berries, bilberries, blaeberries, cran- 

 berries, whortle berries, crow berries, and other mountain 

 fruits throughout the summer, as also on the fresh twigs of 

 heather, ling, and other shrubs; in the spring on the tops 

 of the cotton grass, willow catkins, grasses, rushes, heath- 

 sedge, and buds of trees, the alder, the willow, and others; 

 and in the winter on soft twigs of all kinds, including fir, 

 the leaves of the turnip and rape, and even, Sir William 

 Jardine says, on fern. They will scratch away the snow to 



