THE BLACK GROUSE. 43 



Length of middle toe 



to nail 



■ hind toe 



to nail 



Black 



Cock. 



hi. Lines. 



Hybrid. 

 In. Lines. 



Cock 

 Pheasant. 

 In. Lines. 



1 10 



2 



1 11 



8 



7 



7 



5 



7 



8 



4* 



4 



4 



Fourth quill longest in hybrid and black -grouse ; 3d, 4th, and 5th 

 equal in pheasant.* Tail of hybrid extending 5|- inches beyond closed 

 wing, rounded on expansion, containing 17 feathers, all but the longest 

 being regularly matched : it has probably lost one ; 1 8 being the 

 number both in the pheasant and black-grouse. Bill in form differing 

 only from the pheasant in having the upper mandible less arched. 

 Tarsi and toes in form like the pheasant's, but having many more 

 plates ; tarsi, bare on the sides and behind, but feathered in front for 

 half their length. Naked skin about the eye equalling in extent the 

 pheasant's, but differing in form both from it and the black-cock's 

 by merely appearing in advance of the eye, and broadening out to the 

 extent of half an inch just behind it. There is none above the eye as 

 in the latter bird. Form of the feathers on the head, neck, breast, 

 back, belly, and under tail-coverts, intermediate between that of 

 the two parents ; of the scapulars, quills, and wings approximating 

 that of the black grouse. Form of the tail-feathers uidike that of 

 either species. 



" In colour the hybrid has head, neck, breast, and belly black ; each 

 feather when viewed in the light, terminating in a band of rich claret 

 colour tinged with gold, which decreases in breadth downwards, until 

 at the lower part of the belly it disappears. On laying back the breast 

 feathers, the inner ones exhibit about an inch or less from the tip, a 

 somewhat semicircular band of a cream colour ; the inner feathers at 

 upper part of the back similarly examined, show the cream-coloured 

 marking of the pheasant, the remainder of the feather being black, 

 except the termination, which is of a claret colour. Upper part of 

 back, wings, and tail, not resembling either sex of black-grouse or 

 pheasant, but having a soft blending of grey, brownish-yellow, and 

 black, beautifully undulated ; quills differing only from the black- 

 cock's in the shafts being blackish-brown. Tail-feathers obscurely 



* By pheasant the male bird is meant throughout, when not otherwise ex- 

 pressed. 



