398 



The Living Animals of the World 



I'huto by W. F. ruigult] [Iciffhtoii Bu:jnil 



PTAKMIOAN. 

 Iq winter tbe&K birds don a t,llo\v-\viiite livery. 



The Rrd Grouse is the only garae-ljird which 

 is not found outside the Britisli Islands. It is the 

 bird which perhaps heads the list in the estimation 

 of British sportsmen, who travel north in hundreds 

 every year for the pleasure of the sjiort it affords. 

 It is furthermore remarkable for the wonderful A'ariety 

 of the seasonal plumages. Both sexes change their 

 dress twice during the year — the female in spring and 

 summer, and the male in autumn and winter. Its 

 Continental relative, the Ryper, has no less than 

 three changes — spring, summer, and winter. For the 

 last season a white dress is adopted, to correspond with 

 its snowy surroundings. The winters in the British 

 Islands 

 are neither 

 long 

 enough 

 nor severe 

 enough I 

 to render i 

 such 



change 

 necessary 



with the red grouse, which is sufficiently protected by 



its ordinary dress. 



The largest and perhaps the most interesting of 



all the European game-birds are the Capercallies, 



or Capek- 

 . ■ ' ' ' •' . ' cailzies. 



The 

 British 

 species 

 is also 

 known as 

 the CocK- 

 o F - T H ]C - 

 WOOD. He 



CAPERCALLIE. 



This w.is once a conmion Britisli Iriid. Tho jiresent breed 

 w.is introduced .some yeiiis iigo, tlie native biids having 

 been oxterniin;itod. 



J'Uoto by W. F. r:,i.i„ll] [L.Hjklo.i. B,::-.a.r,l. 



COMMON I'AItTRIDCiH. 



Tliis is tho coninioiier .-ind more estenTne.] of the two sjiecieB of 



Jjritibh iiaitndgo.s. 



is a hand- 

 some black bird, nearly as big as a turkey, weighing 

 from 9 to 17 lbs. 



In the spring the eapereallie, like the blackcock, 

 indulges in a remarkable " love-song," or " play," 

 as it is called. With outstretched neck, tail expanded 

 like a fan, drooping wings, and ruffled feathers, he 

 commences his call, " peller, iieller, peller," increasing 

 in rapidity every moment, till he works himself up 

 into a perfect frenzy. At this time he is perfectly 

 unconscious of all around liim, and poachers, knowing 

 this, sometimes take advantage to creep up and 

 shoot liim. On hearing the cock, the hens assemble 

 from all parts of the forest. The male then descends 

 from the tree to the ground, when "he and his 



