^Ass It. WOOD GROUS. S49 



taention of this bird along with two others of the 

 genus, the black cock and common grous ; but 

 the Ptarmigan is overlooked by them. None of 

 these writers were conversant in the study of 

 natural history, therefore are very excusable 

 for theii* inaccuracy. 



It inhabits wooded and mountanous coun- Manners, 

 tries ; in particular, forests of pines, birch trees 

 and junipers, feeding on the tops of the former, 

 and berries of the latter ; the first often infects 

 the flesh with such a taste, as to render it 

 scarcely eatable. In the spring it calls the 

 females to its haunts with a loud and shrill 

 voice ; and is at that time so very inattentive to 

 its safety, as to be very easily shot. It stands 

 perched on a tree, and descends to the females 

 on their first appearance. The female lays 

 from eight to sixteen eggs ; eight at the first, 

 and more as they advance in age.* 



These birds are common to Scandinavia, 

 Germany, France, and several parts of the 

 Alps. In our country I have seen one speci- 

 men, a male, killed in the woods of Mr. Chis- 

 olme, to the north of Liverness. About the 

 year 1760, a few were to be found about Tho- 

 mas-tozvn, in the county of Tipperary, but I 



* Schwenckfelt Aviarrum Silesice. 372, 



