BIKUS. I'i'J 



on the iinccossible parts of ht'atliy mountains, or in the midiit 

 vt piny forests, the groiis is found in great numbers in the neigh- 

 bourhood of corn- fields, where there is heath to afford retreat 

 and shelter. — Their food too somewhat differs ; while the small- 

 er kind lives upon heath blossoms, cranberries, and corn, the 

 larger feeds upon the cones of the pine-tree ; and will some- 

 times entirely strip one tree before it offers to touch those of 

 another, though just beside him. In other respects, the man- 

 ners of these birds are the same ; being both equally simple in 

 their diet, and licentious in their amours. 



The Cock of the Wood, for it is from him we will take our 

 description, is, as was said, chiefly fond of a mountainous and 

 woody situation. In winter he resides in the darkest and in- 

 most part of the woods ; in summer, he ventures down from 

 his retreats, to make short depredations on the farmer's corn. 



lays eight or ten eggs, wliich arc white, spotted with brown : she makes no 

 nest, but deposits them on the ground. In winter they fly in flocks ; and 

 are so little accustomed to the sight of man, that they are easily shot, or 

 taken in a snare. They feed on the wild productions of the hills, wliicli 

 sometimes gives the flesh a bitter, but not unpalatable taste ; it is dark, 

 coloured, and, according to M. Buftbn, has somewhat the flavour of the hare. 



The Hock Grous. — Orange, with black bands and white blotches ; the toes 

 are downy ; the tail feathers black, tipt witli wliite ; the middle ones are 

 entirely wliite. The rock grons inhabits Hudson's Bay ; is less than the 

 last; it does not frequent woods, but sits oh the tops of rocks, and makes a 

 cry like a man calling with a loud voice. 



The Sand Gratis. — Its collar, belly, and vent are black ; the tail feathers 

 are barred with brown and grey, and tipt with white ; the two middle ones 

 arc tawnyish : the head is ashy ; the chin, pale yellow, with a black serai- 

 circle on the throat, the feathers truncate and shining ; the tail is barred, 

 the two middle feathers subulate at the tip; the legs behind are naked, 

 having a small spur. The female of this species is yellowish, having the 

 head and neck spotted with black, and the back is barred with black. 



The Heteroclitous Grous. — The feet are tliree-toed ; the toes are downy, 

 and connected nearly to the tips. The heteroclitous grous inhabits the 

 southern deserts of Tartary ; it is an ambiguous bird, between the bustard 

 and the grous. The bill is more slender than in others of the tribe ; the up. 

 per mandible neither arched, nor receiving the lower one. Its head and 

 neck are hoary ; the chin tawnyish, with an orange spot on each side of tho 

 neck ; the back is waved with grey and black ; the breast is of a pale reddish 

 ash-colour ; the belly, flanks, and vent are black ; the wings long and point- 

 ed, white beneath, and dotted with black above. 



Among the other varieties of grous, are the Hazel Grous, pretty generally 

 spread throughout the central countries of Europe — tho Pintado Gratis, a 

 native of the cold regions of North America — and the Wiltotv Grous, which 

 liJiiitits the north of Europe and America, as far as the ices of the pole. 



