858 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



groove 15—17.5 (12 measured). $ wing 214-234, tail : central 70-93, 

 outer 10-30 longer, bill 14-15. Primaries : 4th longest, 3rd and 

 oth 2-7 mm. shorter but sometimes as long, 1st 48-62 shorter, 2nd 

 12-22 shorter ; outer webs of 2nd to 7th emarginated basally and 

 of 1st to 7th very narrow. Tail in adult male much forked, 18 

 broad feathers, 4 outer on each side elongated and tips curled 

 outwards, central 10 straight and tips square, in first winter 

 male feathers narrower and outer less (or scarcely) curled, in female 

 tail only slightly forked, outermost feather slightly shorter than 

 next, all straight. Rest of structure as in Capercaillie, but under 

 tail- coverts comparatively much longer, being in both sexes rather 

 longer than central tail-feathers. 



Soft parts. — Bill and claws brown-black ; toes and iris brown ; 

 bare skin over and behind eye bright red. 



Characters and allied forms. — L. t. tetrix (N. Europe) is like 

 L. t. britannicus but female has whiter or paler grey, and also 

 broader, tips to feathers of wing-coverts and under -parts, grey tips 

 to feathers of rump and is blacker on belly ; L. t. viridanus 

 (W. Siberia) adult male has bases of primary-coverts white and 

 black subterminal band on secondaries much narrower showing 

 more white, feathering of tarsi whiter, female with longer and 

 whiter tips to body-feathers and centre of throat usually buffish- 

 white ; L. t. mongolicus (Transbaikal) adult male is much like last 

 but larger, female like L. t. tetrix but more yellowish not so rufous- 

 buff ; L. t. ussuriensis (Manchuria) adult male has glossy feathers 

 more greenish and less purplish-blue and primary-coverts and 

 secondaries like L. t. viridanus, female is much paler than L. t. tetrix 

 but not quite so pale as L. t. viridanus. Distinguished from other 

 British game-birds by its forked tail. 



Field -characters. — Haunts scrub and sparsely wooded places 

 fringing moorlands rather than moors themselves. Often feeds in 

 rushy pastures and, in autumn, in cornfields. Male (Blackcock) is 

 conspicuous and unmistakable, black with white wing-bars, 

 axillaries and under tail-coverts, and lyre-shaped tail. Female 

 (Greyhen) chestnut-brown freckled and barred with black, is 

 smaller than and not so boldly barred with black above as Caper- 

 caillie, larger and less ruddy than Red Grouse, and, unlike either, 

 has forked tail. Flight swift but rather laboured. Polygamous 

 like Capercaillie. At dawn and dusk in spring cocks engage in 

 elaborate displays, sparring, dancing and posturing before assembled 

 hens, uttering the while a continuous whining cry, to which hens 

 reply with a plaintive cooing. 



Breeding-habits. — Found not only in coniferous woods but also 

 on heaths and waste lands with birches and on rough pastures with 

 occasional plantations. Nest. — A hollow in ground, sheltered by 

 grass or heather, sometimes in wood and usually with some trees in 

 neighbourhood. Eggs. — 6 to 10, rarely 12, much like those of 

 Capercaillie but smaller, yellowish -white with scanty markings of 



