Class II. WOOD GROUS. 349 



mention of this bird along with two others of the 

 genus, the black cock and common grous ; but 

 the Ptarmigan is overlooked by them. None of 

 these writers were conversant in the study of 

 natural history, therefore are very excusable 

 for their inaccuracy. 



It inhabits wooded and mountanous coun- Manners* 

 tries; in particular, forests of pines, birch trees 

 and junipers, feeding on the tops of the former, 

 and berries of the latter ; the first often infects 

 the flesh with such a taste, as to render it 

 scarcely eatable. In the spring it calls the 

 females to its haunts with a loud and shrill 

 voice ; and is at that time so very inattentive to 

 its safety, as to be very easily shot. It stands 

 perched on a tree, and descends to the females 

 on their first appearance. The female lays 

 from eight to sixteen eggs ; eight at the first, 

 and more as they advance in age.* 



These birds are common to Scandinavia, 

 Germany, France, and several parts of the 

 Alps. In our country I have seen one speci- 

 men, a male, killed in the woods of Mr. Chis- 

 olme, to the north of Inverness. About the 

 year 1760, a few were to be found about Tho- 

 mas-town, in the county of Tipperary, but I 



* Schwenchfelt Aviarium Silesia. 372. 



