( H )• 



T/je Red Gam fy or More-Cock. Lagopus altera, Mas. 



Z 



Numb. XXm, XXIV. Z/')^. 



THIS Bird is half as big again as the common Partridge ; (being confiderably like" 

 it in Shape ) its Feet and Legs are feathered down to the Claws as in the black 

 Game and others of this Species ; its Bill is (hort and blackifh ; its Noftrils elegantly 

 fpecklcd with white and black Feathers ; it hath a fcarlet-colour'd naked Skin above 

 each Eye in Form of a Crcfcent in place of Eye-brows, which in the Cock arc much 

 broader, and have a Border of loofc Flefli like a Fringe or Creft, at the Bafis of the 

 lower Chap; on each Side is a pretty large white Spot, but not fo in the Female; 

 Moreover the Male differs from the Female in being much redder, the whole Body 

 having no other Mixture than black and red with tranfverfe Lines a-crofs each Feather, 

 the red exceeding the black, except on the Back and the Top of the Shoulders, where 

 the black Spots are broader. 



The Female is of a paler red, and variegated with whitifh Spots all over the Body 

 and Wings ; the exterior Webs of the 3d and 4th prime Feathers of which are white, 

 it having all other Chara£terifticks belonging to the Cock, the Sex only excepted. 



In each Wing are 24 Feathers all dufky, except the exterior Edges of thofe next the 

 Body, which are red ; the outmoft Feathers of the Wing are (horter than the fecond j 

 the third the longeft of all ; the interior baftard Wing is made of white Feathers ; the 

 Feathers alfo on the under fide of the Wings next to the Flags are white ; the Brcaft and 

 Belly are almoft ahke, as to the Colour of the Plumage, with the Back in both Sexes. 



The Tail is more than a handful long, not forked, coniiftingof 16 Feathers, all black 

 except the middlemoft, which are variegated with red and black ; the Flefh is very 

 tender, elpecially in the younger ones, tho' not fo white as a Hen's ; they are frequent in 

 the high Mountains of Derbyjloire, Torkfiire, WeJImoreland and Wales -, it lays 6, 7, or 8 

 Eggs, being fcldom more than one Inch and three Quarters long, (harp at one End and 

 all fpeckled with dark red Specks or Points, only towards the fharper End are one or two 

 Beds void of Spots ; the younger are invefted with Belly-worms, which fometimes hang 

 down, as they fly, a Foot long from behind. 



It delights to abide in the higheft Tops of the higheft Mountains, and with us never 

 comes down into the Plains, and very feldom into the Sides of the Mountains ; the Flefli 

 of thefe Birds do fuddenly corrupt, and therefore the Fowlers as foon as ever they take 

 them exenterate them and ftuff the Cavity of the Belly with Ling ; the Tops of which 

 arc their natural Food when alive. 



The 



