217 



13 



altitude, and some of the others that this bird, in winter time at least, frequents humid 

 localities." 



The black game are shot and snared in various ways. First amongst these modes I may 

 name that of shooting them on the pairing-ground, a most cruel and unsportsmanlike pro- 

 ceeding, which I cannot too strongly condemn, and may add that, though I have visited these 

 " lek "-places on several occasions, I have never killed a bird on any of them. The sportsman (1), 

 hidden in a small hut of boughs, waits until he can get a pot shot into the combatants, and fires ; 

 and by letting the killed or wounded birds remain on the ground, several shots may be obtained 

 on the same morning; but should the fowler emerge from his place of concealment all the birds 

 take wing and leave the scene of action. In many parts of Scandinavia very good black-game 

 shooting may be had with a well-trained pointer ; but the usual mode in vogue there is to make 

 use of a " Fogel-hund," or dog trained to tree the bird and bark until his master comes and 

 shoots it down from its perch. Great numbers are also shot by making use of a stuffed decoy- 

 bird called a " Bulvan," which is placed on a pole and stuck in a birch tree, the fowler being 

 hidden within easy range. The birds are driven by beaters, and when they alight on the tree 

 where the decoy-bird bird is, or one near it, are shot down. Of the various poaching modes of 

 snaring black game I will not treat here, but refer any of my readers who wish for information 

 on tbat subject to the work by Mr. Lloyd, which I quote above. 



The specimens figured are, on the left side of the Plate an adult male and female, and on 

 the right side a very old sterile female, all three being in my collection. The birds described are 

 also in my own collection, excepting the young bird in down, which was lent to me by Baron A. 

 von Hiigel. 



t ' 



In the preparation of the above article 1 have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, <3,b, $. Aboyne, Aberdeenshire (/. Walters), c, 6 . Wermland, Sweden, February 22nd, 1872. d, <$ juv. 

 Christiania, October 1871 (R. Collett). e, 6 juv. Christiania, December 1871 (Collett). f, 6 ,g, 2, h, i, 

 2 steril. St. Petersburg market. 



E Mus. A. von Hiigel. 

 a, pullus. Wermland, Sweden, July 1872. 



E Mus. J. H. Gumey, jun. 



a, <5 . Leadenhall Market, September 1870. b, ? . Leadenhall Market, October 1870. c, d juv. Durham, 

 August 28th, 1869. 



