40 TETRAONID/E. 



tomed to be on the moors on the 12th and 20th of August, in pursuit 

 of the respective species, will doubtless admit. The black-cocks are 

 said by the keeper to come much at this season (early in January), be 

 the weather what it may, to the covers in which we met with them, 

 where they feed on the buds of the trees, — those of the birch and hazel 

 being preferred. They continue in the woods from this period until 

 the breeding season commences, but are considered, now as well as at 

 all other times, to remain on the ground during the night. 



In the comparative lowlands of the south the black grouse is much 

 more common than in the wilder and more mountainous highlands of 

 Scotland. To mention my personal experience only, I have, whilst 

 visiting sporting friends in various parts of that country, remarked the 

 noble black-cock to be much more frequent in different parts of Ayr- 

 shire (in Dumfries and Wigton-shires, and in the island of Islay) 

 than in more northern shooting quarters. In the district around Meg- 

 garnie castle, on the banks of the Lyon, in the north-west of Perth- 

 shire, rich in all the grandest features of highland scenery, these birds 

 were rather scarce in 1829, and our party one day resorted to the 

 battue system to obtain a few brace. Their haunt was chiefly in the fine 

 heathy and ferny glades, which with gleams of light broke in upon 

 and picturesquely varied the otherwise monotonous natural woods 

 that clothed the banks on the side of the river opposite to the ancient 

 castle, — these banks being also favourite haunts of the graceful roe-deer. 

 The jetty black-cock springing, as he sometimes did there, from the 

 underwood of rich-green juniper, appeared with fine effect. About the 

 extensive and admirable grouse moors of Aberarder and Dunmaglass, in 

 the north of Inverness-shire (possessing, too, abundance of suitable 

 ground for black-game, with the remains of natural woods on the lower 

 skirts of the mountains), they were still more rare ; and during the 

 month of September 1842, which I spent there, not one was killed. 

 A few frequented one portion of the ground ; but they were not suffi- 

 ciently numerous to tempt us to go in pursuit of them. They were 

 reported as becoming gradually scarcer in both these localities. Sports- 

 men generally are indifferent about them, where red-grouse are 

 numerous ; the pursuit of the latter affording, in every respect, so 

 much better sport. 



On Hybrids produced in a wild state between the Black-Grouse 

 {Tetrao tetrix), and Common Pheasant {Phasianus Colchicus). — I made 



