BIRDS. 



HI 



and places herself under the tree, from whence the cock de- 

 scends to impregnate her. The number of females that, on this 

 occasion, resort to his cull is uncertain ; but one male generally 

 suffices for all. 



The female is much less than her mate, and entirely unlike 

 him in plumage, so that she might be mistaken for a bird of 

 another species : she seldom lays more than six or seven eggs, 

 which are white, and marked with yellow, of the size of a com- 

 mon hen's egg ; she generally lays them in a dry place, and a 

 mossy ground, and hatches them without the company of the 

 cock. When she is obliged, during the time of incubation, to 

 leave her eggs in quest of food, she covers them up so artfully, 

 with moss or dry leaves, that it is extremely difficult to discover 

 them. On this occasion, she is extremely tame and tranquil, 

 however wild and timorous in ordinary. She often keeps to 

 her nest, though strangers attempt to drag her away. 



As soon as the young ones are hatched, they are seen running 

 with extreme agility after the mother, though sometimes they 

 are not entirely disengaged from the shell. The hen leads them 

 forward, for the first time, into the woods, shows them ants' 

 eggs, and the wild mountain-berries, which, while young, are 

 their only food. As they grow older, their appetites grow 

 stronger, and they then feed upon the tops of heather, and the 

 cones of the pine-tree. In this manner they soon come to per- 

 fection : they are a hardy bird, their food lies everywhere be- 

 fore them, and it would seem that they should increase in great 

 abundance. But this is not the case ; their numbers are thin- 

 ned by rapacious birds and beasts of every kind ; and still more 

 by their own salacious contests. 



As soon as the clutching is over, which the female performs 

 in the manner of a hen, the whole brood follows the mother foi 

 about a month or two ; at the end of which the young males en. 

 tirely forsake her, and keep in great harmony together till tlu' 

 beginning of spring. At this season, they begin for the first 

 time, to feel the genial access ; and then adieu to all their former 

 friendships ! They begin to consider each other as rivals ; and 

 the rage of concupiscence quite extinguishes the spirit of society. 

 They fight each other like game-cocks ; and at that time are so 

 inattentive to their own safety, that it often happens that two 

 or three of them are killed at a shot. It is probable that in 



