74 TETRAONID.E. 



The old males, owing to the fibres, roots, and leaves of 

 the pine and fir trees which they consume, obtain the full 

 flavour of turpentine, and besides that their meat is coarse. 

 The hen birds feed more on seeds and grain, insects and 

 berries of all sorts. 



About the beginning of May the hen bird seeks a place 

 for the deposit of her eggs, among long grasses, thick 

 bushes of brambles and heather : there she scratches a 

 place, and carries to it a few leaves and grasses, and lays from 

 eight to twelve eggs, on which she sits about four weeks 



with the greatest care and patience. If any danger approaches 

 she will run off, but not to any great distance, and return as 

 soon as practicable. As soon as the young brood are suffi- 

 ciently dry, they run out of the nest after the mother, who 

 takes the greatest care of them, and feeds them with ants'" 

 eggs and insects of various kinds. 



The entire length of the Cock of the Wood is two 

 feet nine inches ; the beak is full two inches long, and 

 very strong; the upper mandible projects considerably 

 over the under, not only in length but width also, being 

 thereby enabled to cut hard substances with it : its 

 colour is pale yellowish. The iris is hazel. Over the 

 eye is a red skin. The head and throat are dusky ; the neck 

 is ash-colour, finely marked with black ; the breast is rich 

 dark green ; the rest of the under parts black, and white 

 about the thighs and vent ; the wing-coverts and scapulars 

 dark brown, finely pencilled with black ; greater quill-feathers 

 dusky. The lower part of the back, rump, and upper tail- 

 coverts ash-coloured, marked with black. The tail is black, 

 and consists of eighteen feathers. The legs are covered with 

 dusky brown loose feathers ; claws dusky. The female 

 differs very much in size and colouring : the head, neck, and 

 back are barred with tawny, red, and black ; the throat tawny 



