Practical Game-Preserving. 224 



mature wooded growths bordering on the moorland, but 

 this also being denied, it has recourse to the roughest 

 and most thickly-covered parts of the upland wastes. 



The Blackcock is found in many parts of Great Britain, 

 where, however, it is not often plentiful, and while adapted 

 to a far larger range of country, it is in no way so 

 numerous as the grouse proper. This is a grievance with 

 me. If the bird be so unexacting as to its haunts, why is 

 it not more generally appreciated? It is in every way a 

 splendid bird of sport, and offering, as it does, so many 

 facilities to the preserver, in both habitat and ease of hand- 

 rearing, I am surprised that it is not more preserved. 

 On every moor in the kingdom, from John o' Groats to 

 Land's End, the Blackcock could be raised, and on a great 

 many other places besides. Take one, for instance, Dart- 

 moor, where thousands and thousands of acres are to be 

 had almost for the asking, and scarcely any Black Game 

 present, whereas formerly it abounded, but it has been 

 killed and driven off rather than died out. And there are 

 many similar cases. We had nearly lost the Caper- 

 cailzie, and ere long we shall have let most of our stock 

 of Black Game run out too. 



The yearly course of the Black Grouse's life varies 

 very considerably from that of the Red variety. In the 

 months of March and April earlier or the reverse accord- 

 ing to the season the packs in which the males have 

 associated themselves during the winter are broken up, and 

 each bird prepares for breeding, the habit being poly- 

 gamous. A good deal of fighting goes on for the posses- 

 sion of certain much affected sites, and the old cock birds, 

 as a rule, are superior in point of prowess to the young 

 ones. Consequently, it is well that the old cocks should be 

 cleared off as far as possible during the season, leaving 

 the young ones opportunity to breed without hindrance. 



