OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 35 



some point of vantage in his haunts, generally a pine-tree in the 

 more open part of the forest, or a huge piece of rock with a level 

 surface. Here he takes his stand in the morning just before sun- 

 rise, and again in the evening directly after sunset, and from his 

 perch on a bare or dead branch of the tree, or the summit of 

 the rock, he puffs out his plumage, and with extended neck, 

 drooping wings, and erected tail spread out to the fullest extent, 

 he begins to utter his "spel," or love music. ,This consists of 

 three very distinct notes, fellep, klickop, and hede, the first and 

 last several times repeated. These antics and notes occupy a 

 period of several minutes, and are often repeated at once, during 

 which time the bird works himself up to such a pitch of amorous 

 excitement as to be utterly oblivious of impending danger. The 

 natives take advantage of this, and by advancing during each 

 " spel " or ecstasy, creep up within gunshot. The females 

 respond to this curious exhibition by uttering a harsh croak, 

 advancing to attract his attention, until he finally descends from 

 his perch and pairs with each in turn. These " laking places " 

 are frequented every spring with great regularity by numerous 

 cocks and still more numerous hens, and are usually all in the 

 same neighbourhood of their haunts. Much fighting takes place, 

 the young and weaker birds being driven out, and not allowed 

 to " spel " or " play.'' The love notes are often uttered so loudly 

 as to cause the tree on which the bird is sitting sensibly to vibrate 

 to the touch, and may be heard for a long distance through the 

 silent forest. A second " spel " is said to take place towards the 

 end of September, or early in October. The female takes all 

 charge of the eggs and young. She makes a scanty nest amongst 

 the bilberry wires and heather in a clearing of the forest, merely a 

 hollow scraped out, and lined with a few dry leaves or scraps of 

 grass. The eggs are from eight to twelve in number, the smaller 

 clutches being the produce of the younger hens. The eggs are 

 brownish bufif in ground colour, thickly spotted with reddish 

 brown, and a few larger markings of the same colour. They 

 measure on an average 2-2 inches in length by i'6 inch in 

 breadth. Only one brood is reared in the year, and incubation 

 lasts from twenty- six to twenty-eight days. 



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