34 BLACK GROUSE. 



rumbling, guttural, and at first generally querulous, and then rolling note, which in that 

 quiet narrow glen was easily heard at the distance of a quarter of a mile. It would 

 he difficult to syllable such a note; the snarling of a mastiff, omitting the nasal part of 

 the performance, gives a pretty correct idea of the rolling notes. The proud bird was 

 a haughty wooer, for aye as each female fled from his importunities, after pursuing her 

 a short way, he paid his addresses to another. It is a curious fact that, although the 

 amorous chase often brought him into close contact with the other two males, who 

 remained silent and unconcerned spectators of his fooleries, 'not the slightest animosity 

 was manifested by either party.' A stage coach dispersed the pack; two males and eight 

 females flew across the glen; on alighting, one of the former recommenced his gestures 

 and notes, and occasionally uttered a loud, harsh, hissing squeal or scream. By reason 

 of his importunities, as well as to obtain food, the pack soon became scattered; so he 

 was obliged at times to fly from group to group of coy females, scarcely ever intermitting his 

 curious cry when on the ground. A man at the inn informed me that these notes and gestures 

 usually commenced about the middle of March, and ceased in the course of eight or ten 

 weeks. I observed their habits most attentively during the space of an hour and a half, 

 noting down everything of interest, and although this account may differ from that given 

 by other observers, it is too brief, and stands too much alone, to justify any one in 

 contradicting their statements." It is difficult to reconcile the conduct of the two passive 

 males, on this occasion, with their usually pugnacious disposition, as recorded by numerous 

 other trustworthy observers; may it be that they were two young birds which had been 

 well beaten and conquered by the other, probably an old and powerful bird? ^Ye have 

 frequently, in the poultry-yard, seen a similar exhibition of subjection, by young cocks, 

 in the presence, of the lord of the dunghill. 



From the time the females have deposited their proper number of eggs, which is 

 usually in the month of May, and have commenced sitting, they are deserted by the 

 cock birds, who again assemble in small parties, and seek the secluded and quiet thickets, 

 among which they chiefly remain till they have completed their moult. They are, during 

 this seclusion, particularly timid and shy. The female has thus the whole charge of 

 hatching and bringing up the young birds. In their first plumage both sexes resemble 

 the female, and they continue with her until the autumnal moult, when the young males 

 join the old cocks, with whom they then remain till the following spring. The young 

 cocks do not, however, all of them at once obtain their full adult plumage, but for 

 some months some will retain a portion of their younger dress. The packs of male 

 birds are sometimes very numerous, often amounting to from fifty to seventy birds. The 

 females also in autumn are occasionally found in packs, but in much smaller numbers 

 generally under twenty. 



Mr. Daniel, in his "Rural Sports," gives the following description of the methods of shooting 



