DUSKY GROUSE. 145 



beneath, they shoot them at their leisure. Should 

 there be several capercailzies in the same tree, how- 

 ever, it is always necessary to shoot those in the 

 lower branches in the first instance ; for, unless one 

 of these birds falls on its companions, it is said the 

 rest will never move, and, in consequence, the whole 

 of them may be readily killed." 



There is another fine European grouse, somewhat 

 allied to the capercailzie, Tetrao medius of Meyer ; 

 the Rakkelhan of the Germans. It is chiefly found 

 in the north of Russia, Sweden, and Courland. In 

 size it is scarcely inferior to the first, being, accord- 

 ing to Temminck, two feet three, four, and five inches 

 in length. The same author describes this bird as 

 having also lengthened plumes upon the head and 

 throat, which are raised during the love-season, or 

 upon any irritation. The head, neck, and breast are 

 rich black, with purple and bronzed reflections. The 

 back and rump are black, but the feathers are termi- 

 nated with a violet reflection, and each is marked with 

 minute pale dotings. The belly is black, with some 

 dashes of white on the centre. The scapulars and 

 lesser wing-coverts are deep brown, marked with 

 delicate yellowish irregular waves. The secondaries 

 are white from their base for half their length, than 

 brownish-black, and terminated with a tip of white- 

 The tail very slightly forked, and upper coverts are 

 black, the under coverts tipped with white. The 

 female has nearly the same distribution of the plum- 

 age with the former species. Both species extend 

 VOL. vrn. K 



