21 c 



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note occurs : — " The stomach of the Tetrao tetrix, Linn., or Blackcock, after the bird had lived 

 in woods during winter, was several times found stuffed with the foliage of the Polypodium 

 vulgare, Linn., or common polypody. This is the only certain instance that has occurred of any 

 animal living upon a plant of the fern kind in this country." 



The nest of this species is a mere depression in the soil, scratched by the hen, sometimes 

 without any lining whatever, but at others scantily lined with dried grass or leaves. The eggs 

 are yellowish grey or yellowish white, blotched and spotted with yellowish red and rusty red, in 

 size varying from 2-^ by 1^ to If ^ by \\^ inch. In the series I have in my collection I do 

 not find any great variety, some only being darker and more thickly spotted than others; and 

 one egg which I obtained in Finland is pure white, unspotted. 



Like all polygamous birds, the black game interbreed with other allied species ; and some 

 peculiar hybrids are produced. Those best known are the so-called " Rackel-foglar," being a 

 cross between the Blackcock and the Capercaillie hen, of which I treat in writing the history 

 of Tetrao urogallus. Another cross, that between the present species and the Willow-Grouse, is 

 much rarer, but has been met with on many occasions, as will be seen by the following notes 

 from Mr. Collett. The finest I ever saw of these so-called " Rip-orrar " was one in the St. 

 Petersburg Museum ; but I also saw a very fine specimen which was brought to Leadenhall 

 Market two winters ago, and which somewhat resembled the one figured by Mr. Lloyd in his 

 ' Game Birds and Wild Fowl of Sweden.' Mr. Lloyd writes that " it is even on record that the 

 Blackcock has occasionally formed still stranger alliances. We are told, for instance, that Mr. 

 Skogberg, having purchased one of these birds from a Finn, confined it in a roomy coop, and 

 that some days afterwards he introduced to it a common speckled hen in the hopes of obtaining 

 a breed between them. At first the Blackcock evinced great displeasure ; for he not only gave 

 the stranger a most ungracious reception, but actually maltreated her. By degrees, however, his 

 dislike diminished ; and at length he received in good part his allotted partner, and pairing took 

 place between them. When she had laid ten eggs, and shown an inclination to ' sit,' the Black- 

 cock was removed from the coop, and she was placed on the eggs ; and in due time seven chicks 

 were produced. At first these had a difficulty to walk ; and their legs were therefore bathed with 

 brandy; but afterwards they throve well and grew rapidly. When full-feathered, they most 

 resembled the mother in colour, all being speckled ; their tails were also of the same shape as 

 hers ; but their feet and legs most resembled those of the father. The heads of all were provided 

 with a broad comb. They were females, and proved good ' laying hens.'" 



Mr. R. Collett has just sent to me a little pamphlet written by himself, from which I 

 extract the following interesting details respecting the so-called Biporre : — " The bird here called 

 ' Rypeorre ' (a name originally adopted from the Swedish) has been known to naturalists, so far 

 back as the close of the last century, as a hybrid, bred between Tetrao tetrix and Lagopus alius. 

 Here, too, it is the Blackcock which, pairing with the female Ptarmigan (Tetrao tetrix <S , and 

 Lagopus alius 2 ), is the reputed father of so singular a progeny. 



" Nilsson and most other ornithologists named this form Tetrao lagopoides (or lagopides) ; 

 and Sundevall (' Svenska Foglarne,' p. 255), reasoning from the analogous facts recorded of the 

 foregoing hydrid (vide p. 236), Tetrao lagopodi-tetricides. 



" In tracing the origin of this hybrid, which has almost hitherto invariably occurred in but 



3 g 2 



