10 R. COLLETT. [No. 11. 



and L. tetrix. A specimen was shot in May, 1871, in Løren- 

 skoven (north of Christiania), in the middle of a number of male 

 L. tetrix, engaged in drumming; and another was observed at 

 about the same time in Odalen on a „Leg" (or drumming-place) 

 of T. urogallus. One specimen, observed with the latter at 

 Kragerøen, near Fredriksstad, on April 30 th , 1895, uttered a cry 

 that was considerably louder than that of a capercaillie, and, 

 unlike it, could be heard at a distance of a couple of hundred 

 metres. It differed from that of both capercaillie and black- 

 cock, but most resembled the latter. 



In both sexes the generative organs (in winter) are well 

 developed, although scarcely so large as in either of the pa- 

 rents. The ovaries of the female are generally distinct, and 

 towards the spring exhibit a further development of eggs and 

 stroma. In one specimen, caught at Elverum in March, 1892, 

 some of the eggs were larger than the others, and had a dia- 

 meter of about 1.5 mm . 



The females have also been observed on the breeding-grounds 

 of black-game, and have been found sitting, though without 

 producing offspring. 



In the spring of 1897, for instance, on a breeding-ground of 

 L. tetrix in Sundalen, three Rakkel-hens were repeatedly seen, 

 but it seemed as if the black cocks would not mate with thern. 

 In the beginning of May, one of them was found sitting on 

 eight eggs under a large juniper bush. The nest was looked at 

 a few times during May, but no young hirds appeared. After 

 three weeks time, the hen sat quite quietly, and at last became 

 so tame that she would let herself be observed from the dis- 

 tance of a few paces. At the end of June, the nest was 

 plundered and the hen killed by a fox, after the eggs had been 

 sat upon for nearly seven weeks. 



Food. In the autumn, before the snow covers the ground 

 in the woods, their food consists of various green leaves and 

 berries; later they take tiny twigs of deciduous trees and coni- 

 fers, and of juniper. 



