GALLINACEOUS BIRDS. lH;^ 



" As Mr. W. S. Hurrel was crossing the hill between Carr Bridge and the Spey, on a fishing 

 excursion, with some of his dogs following, one of them pointed, when a Grey Hen offered to do 

 battle in defence of her brood, and flapping her wings like fanners, she with heroic bravery actually 

 beat her canine antagonist and drove him crest-fallen away. Mr. Bass, M.P., and his friends who 

 have taken the shootings around Carr Bridge are in the habit of giving presents to the herd-boys in 

 the districts- in order to engage them to preserve the nests, and if possible guard them from external 

 violence. One of the keepers lately accosted one of these herd-boys, and in answer to several queries 

 on the subject of nests, was told by the boy that in guarding the game from molestation he had no 

 difficulty except with one nest, which was situated in a place much firequented by the cattle, and 

 which he said must have been destroyed unless by some means protected. 'But,' continued the 

 boy, ' I have built a little house of stones and turf about it, and that will prevent the cattle getting 

 at it' ' But,' said the keeper, 'you will certainly scare away the birds.' ' Oh, no,' replied the boy, 

 ' I have left a little door for the hen to get in and out of, and she sits on her eggs as usual ;' which 

 the keeper on visiting the place found to be true." 



The Black Cock is pursued with great zest in all countries of which it is a native — in Scandinavia 

 various modes of warfare are resorted to. 



"A very common plan of starting the Black Cock, in the winter time," says Mr. Lloyd, speaking of 

 his Scandinavian experiences, "is with the aid of a bulvan, or artificial decoy bird. This is affixed 

 to the top of a long and slender pole, or of two poles tied together, which is then hoisted a little above 

 the top of a birch-tree, standing on an eminence, that it may be seen from a distance. The fowler 

 then conceals himself in a screen constructed of a few fir-boughs, previously prepared for the purpose. 

 Here he patiently awaits the coming of the birds, and when attracted by the bulvan, or driven 

 towards it by people patrolling the country for the purpose, they alight in the tree on which the decoy 

 is placed, or on those in the immediate vicinity, one or other of them usually meets its doom. 



" At times two or three individuals take part in this amusement, and if there be several wooded 

 knolls in the same locality, each may be occupied to advantage by a jdgare and his bulvan, for as 

 these birds, when alarmed at the shot, keep flying from one bulvan to the other, they are pretty sure of 

 being killed sooner or later." 



These bulvatis seem to be very rudely constructed, for if a stuffed Black Cock be not 

 procurable for a bulvan, "an imitation one maybe made out of an old hat or piece of dark-coloured 

 cloth. Two small patches of red cloth, one on each side of the head, represent the combs over tlie 

 eyes, and two others of white stuff the white spots on the bird's shoulders. The tail of a veritable 

 Black Cock is usually attached, but should this not be procurable, one made with black cloth, and 

 lined with white, can be substituted in its stead. Legs are not required, the stick to which the 

 bulvan is fastened supplying their place. At times, however, the bulvan is carv'ed out of a piece 

 of wood and afterwards painted." The Black Cock may be domesticated without much trouble, 

 and instances are known of its having bred in captivity. " In the rural districts of Sweden," 

 Mr. Lloyd tells us, " one often sees a caged Black Cock in the houses of the gentry, this bird being 

 greatly admired by every one both for his beauty and for his spcl, or song, which, though anything but 

 musical, is wild and pleasing, and during the pairing season almost continual." 



THE HYBRID GROUSE. 



The Hybrid Grouse {Tdrao inedius). In this remarkable bird, a cross between the Black Cock 

 and Capercali, the entire mantle is black, faintly marked with grey spots and zigzag lines ; the upper 

 wing is watered with blackish brown and grey ; tlie secondary quills are enli\ened by a brown whitish 



