WOOD GROUS. 



313 



Notwithftanding the opinions of Linnaus and the Count De 

 Buffon, this fpecies is unknown in North America. Its moft fouth- 

 erly habitation, as far as I can difcover, is the Archipelago, it being Place. 



found in the iflands of Crete and of Milo. One was fhot in 

 the laft, perched on a palm-tree, on whofe fruit it probably 

 fed. I fufpeft that it does not extend into A/ta Minor -, for Doftor 

 Rujfell does not enumerate it among the Syrian birds.. As the Tetrao, 

 y^\\\z\\. Athenaus* c?\\^ a fort of Jheafant, was found in the antient 

 Media, it may flill be met with in the northern part of Perjia. If 

 Ariftotle intends this fpecies by the words 'Tetrix and Ourax -}-, it was 

 likewife found in Greece -, but he applies thofe names only to a bird 

 which lays its eggs on the grafly ground, and fays no more. 



Pliny gives a far clearer defcription of the Tetraones of Italy. 

 Decet Tetraonas /uus nitor, abfolutaque nigritia, in fuperciliis cocci 

 rubor. This certainly means only the cock o{t\\& Black Grous; which 

 is diftinguifhed by the intenfe blacknefs and the brilliant glofs of 

 its plumage, as well as by its fcarlet eyebrows, which is common 

 to it and the Wood Grous ; which laft is the fpecies defcribed by 

 the ancient naturalift ; truly in fome refpeds, hyperbolically in 

 others. He fays it is of the fize of a Vulture, and not unlike it in co- 

 lor J. Both thefe affertions approach the truth j for the upper part 

 of the body has a dufky or footy look, not unlike that of the Vul- 

 ture of the Alps. But when he fpeaks of its being the heavieft bird 

 next to the Oftrich, we fee plainly he goes beyond all bounds. 



It is a fpecies found in moft parts of the wooded and mounta- 

 nous countries oi Europe, and extends even to the ar(5tic Lapmark § ; 

 is common in Rtijfia and Sibiria ; m the laft are found greater and 

 leffer varieties. It is found even as far as Kaintjchatka. 



• Lih. xiv. p. 654. ^Hiji. An. lib. vi. c. I. % Hijf, Nat. lib. x. c. 22. 



§ Leems, 241. 



S f Spurious 



