Practical Game-Preserving. 226 



hens limit the number of theirs to about thirty. It must 

 not be imagined that each and every bird joins these packs ; 

 on the contrary, a considerable number prefer to remain 

 in couples, threes, and so on, and I have repeatedly 

 noticed males and females together in these coveys. 



The Black Grouse is somewhat eccentric in its habits, 

 passing from part to part of a locality with extreme irregu- 

 larity, and seemingly quite indifferent to both season 

 and weather. But these game-birds are very chary 

 of disturbance and danger, and prefer at all times the 

 most open places, only seeking shelter when compelled to 

 do so by stress of weather and want of food. Blackcock 

 rarely visit plantations, low coverts, &c., which afford 

 the more protection to the sportsman and natural enemies 

 of the birds, unless induced by thick or stormy weather. 



This game-bird is an early riser, always running the 

 sun very close. During the day it moves outwards, if 

 possible, from the signs of human existence, or retires to 

 the high and exposed parts of the estate, except, of course, 

 in winter, when ofttimes the whole day is taken up in the 

 search for food. This consists for the most part of the 

 leaves, flowers, shoots, and seeds of many kinds of sedge, 

 chickweed, and ranunculi, leaves of some few shrubs and 

 bush growth, and the shoots and berries of the whortle- 

 berry, cranberry, cowberry, and bearberry, and the tender 

 shoots of heather ; besides these the shoots and soft needles 

 of firs, fronds of ferns, and grain in stubble fields, are 

 all much enjoyed. During winter the range of food is 

 considerably restricted, and often the supply is so 

 difficult to obtain that the birds have recourse to the 

 cultivated fields of the farmer, when hunger makes 

 them often very tame. Black Grouse should always be 

 provided with corn, &c., during very hard weather. 



