﻿G R O U S. 73* 



the place, by covering the eggs with leaves, when at any time 

 obliged to leave them. The young run after the mother as fooh 

 as hatched, and often with part of the egg-fhell attached to them, 

 as Partridges are known to do. 



The males and females live feparate, except from the beginning 

 of February, when the male, morning and evening, mounts on the 

 flump of fome old pine, with his tail fpread, and quills lowered 

 to the feet, the neck protruded, and the head feathers ruffled. It 

 makes a noife not unlike the whetting of a fey the, and repeats it 

 alternately, and \o loud as to be heard a great way off; at the 

 fame time putting itfelf into very Arrange attitudes. This is a 

 call for hisferaglio of females, who attend the fummons ; and this 

 he continues to the end of March or beginning of April. 



The food confifts of many kinds of plants, grain, the young 

 buds of trees ; and above all, the feeds of pine and fir trees, of 

 which fometimes they are known wholly to ftrip one tree of its 

 cones, while the next remains untouched. 



We find the greateft numbers of thefe birds in Ruffia and 

 Sibiria, where they are met with in all the woods in the northern 

 parts, efpecially the pine-forefts. Is common both about Mofcow 

 and St. Peterfburgh, from whence they are fent along with white 

 Hares, Ptarmigans, &c. as prefents to London, during the cold fea- 

 fon; and, for the moil part, arrive in good condition for the 

 table, their flefh being much efteemed. 



I am informed that there is a variety of this bird much fmaller 

 than the common fort *. 



* Mr, Pennant. — It has been obferved that birds of the Grout tribe are imaller 

 in Lapland than more to the fouthward ; which may arife from the greater de- 

 gree of cold. Whether this fmall variety is moft frequent in the northern parts, 

 is not faid. — See Amaen, Acad, iii. p. 162. 



5 A 2 Tetrao 



