134 HISTOUY Ol' 



The bustaiQs assemble in flocks in the month of October, 

 and keep together till April. In winter, as their food becomes 

 more scarce, they support themselves indiscriminately, by feed- 

 ing on moles, mice, and even little birds, when they can seize 

 them. For want of other food, they are contented to live upon 

 turnip-leaves, and such like succulent vegetables. In some 

 parts of Switzerland, they are found frozen in the fields in 

 severe weather ; but when taken to a warm place, they again 

 recover. X^ey usually live fifteen years, and are incapable of 

 being propagated in a domestic state, as they probably want 

 that food which best agrees with their appetite. 



CHAP. VIII. 



THE GROUS, AND ITS AFFINITIES. 



The cock of the wood, the black cock, the grous, and the 

 ptarmigan — these are all birds of a similar nature, and chiefly 

 foimd in heathy mountains and piny forests, at a distance from 

 mankind. They might once indeed have been common enough 

 all over England, when a great part of the country was covered 

 with heath ; but at present their numbers are thinned ; the two 

 first of this kind are utterly unknown in the south, and have 

 taken refuge in the northern parts of Scotland, where the ex- 

 tensive heaths afl!brd them security, and the forest shelter. 



• 



* The following is a desrription of the more important varieties of grous. 



The Ruffed Grous. — The size of tliis bird is between that of a pheasant 

 and partridg-e. Tlie bill is bromiish. The head is crested ; and, as Avell as 

 all the upper parts, is variegated with different tints of brown mixed with 

 olack. The feathers on the neck are long and loose ; and may be erected at 

 pleasure, like those of the cock. The throat and the foro-part of the neck 

 are orange brown j and the rest of the under-parts yellowish white, havlnj^ 

 a few curved marks on the breast and sides. The tail consists of eighteen 

 feathers, all of which are crossed with narrow bars of black, and one 

 broad band of the same near the end. The legs are covered to the toes 

 ^which are flesh-coloured, and pectinated at the sides,) with whitish hairs. 

 The ruffed grous has hitherto been found only on the new continent. He is 

 a tine bird when his gaiety is displayed ; that is, when he spreads his tail 

 Jike that of a turkey-cock, and erects the circle of feathers round his neck 

 like a ruff, walking with a very stately and even pace, and making a uoUo 



