GROUSE. 183 



on hollowed wings. The bird is monogamous, and 

 pairs are encountered only during ftie breeding season, 

 coveys in autumn, and packs, often very numerous, 

 in the later part of the year. The Red Grouse has 

 the distinction of being the only bird exclusively 

 British. 



BLACK GROUSE.— Plate 81. Male: 22 inches; 

 black, with a rich blue cast, but dull on the wings ; 

 the under parts next the tail and a bar across the 

 wing white ; scarlet wattle above the eye ; the 

 outer feathers of the tail curved outwards. Female: 

 1 5 inches ; chestnut and buff, barred with black. 

 Resident. 



Eggs. — 6-10, yellowish- white, spotted all over with 

 orange-brown ; 2'0 x 1'4 inches (plate 129). 



Nest. — A slight hollow in the ground under cover 

 of a bush. 



Distribution. — Chiefly north of England and in 

 Scotland, though occurring in the < midland, southern, 

 and south-western counties of England to some 

 extent. 



The Blackcock and Gray Hen, as the male and 

 female birds of the Black Grouse respectively are 

 called, are essentially birds of the woods. They are to 

 be met in the open, especially in stubble lands, which 

 they frequent in the early morning and again towards 

 evening in search of grain, but for the most part they 

 spend their time perching on the branches of trees in 

 woods. During the pairing season the birds resort to 

 special spots in the open in the very early morning, 



