BLACK GROUS. 
283 
when the males separate, and assume their pugna- 
cious dispositions. 
They will not bear confinement, many attempts 
to rear them having failed. During the winter the 
inhabitants of Siberia catch them in the following 
singular manner. A number of poles are placed 
horizontally on forked sticks, in the places the birds 
frequent ; small bundles of corn are tied on these 
by way of allurement, and at a little distance some 
tall conical shaped baskets are placed, having their 
broad end uppermost ; just within the mouth of 
each basket a small wheel is balanced in such a 
manner that the least touch, on either side, causes 
it to fall down and recover its situation. The 
birds are soon attracted by the corn on the hori- 
zontal poles ; the first comers alight upon them, 
and after a short repast fly to the baskets, and 
attempt to settle on their tops, when the wheel 
drops sideways, and they fall headlong into the 
trap. These baskets are sometimes found half 
full of the birds thus caught. 
In Russia, Norway, and other extreme northern 
countries, the Black Grous are said to retire under 
the snow during the winter, but probably without 
foundation. 
