NUPTIAL HABITS OF THE BLACKCOCK. 177 



and before any birds had come. It was about a quarter of an 

 hour later, and when the light was still very dim, that I began 

 to hear them, and, from the sounds, judged that a good many — 

 perhaps a dozen — cocks were assembled. Besides the peculiar 

 harsh grating note which seems so well fitted to express anger, 

 there was that soft, plaintive one which sounds quite opposite in 

 character, but is really far more its concomitant, since it is 

 generally, if not always, uttered when two birds stand opposite 

 one another, and seem on the point of engaging, though, whether 

 through nervousness, or lack of courage, it is seldom that they 

 actually do engage. Most noticeable, however, and continuous, 

 was the pretty, musical " whirbling " (as I have called it), 

 whether more subdued than when uttered in Scandinavia, under 

 exactly similar circumstances, I am not quite sure, but certainly 

 far more so than as the birds there produce it, when perched 

 amongst the fir-trees, for here on the moors trees of any kind are 

 wanting. As it grew lighter, by degrees, I saw the white tails 

 of the cock birds flashing here and there, through the gloom, 

 and then the rich, deep black of the general plumage, against 

 which, like the wing-plumes of the Ostrich, they stood beauti- 

 fully out, till, at length, the whole bird, and all his actions, 

 became plainly visible. These consisted of advances, with 

 spread tail, towards one another, more or less swiftly, along 

 the ground, with occasional excited leaps into the air, just as, 

 last year, in Sweden, but here, as there, I saw nothing of that 

 sustained and exaggerated energy which upon some, though, as 

 I begin to think now, only exceptional occasions, renders this 

 performance so extraordinary a one. 



It was not till a good deal later, when the light of day had 

 properly asserted itself, that either hen birds began first to 

 appear upon the scene, or I first to notice them. These were 

 courted by the cocks in the same manner as described in my 

 notes of last year, but a new and interesting feature was now 

 present, or observable by me, for one hen would often chase 

 another furiously over the course, and, on at least one occasion, 

 two fought together, spreading out their tails and leaping at 

 each other, like more slightly made cocks. In the chase they 

 ran with great speed — much greater, it seemed to me, than I 

 have ever seen attained by a male — and, stretching their bodies 

 tool. 4th ser. vol. XIV., May, 1910. p 



